


Lost & Found 6: Children of Aseity

by ARtheBard



Series: Lost & Found [6]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Implied Cannabalism, Multi, psycho cult leader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-05-19 08:43:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 75,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19353487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ARtheBard/pseuds/ARtheBard
Summary: Who wants to kill Raven and why? And is she their only target? These are the questions the triumvirate must answer if they want to save their people and the Coalition from a radical cult making their presence on Earth known. And when it becomes beyond personal for Clarke, Lexa and Anya they have to try to keep it together long enough not to lose their children to the madness. This cult's return to the ground could be the one thing that tears the Coalition apart.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo, the main bad guy in this story is what happens when you are thinking about things Bloodreina and crew ate to survive the bunker while watching a documentary on Jonestown. Just giving a heads up: cannibalism implied NOT shown because that is too icky even for my warped mind. 
> 
> So, buckle up, buckaroos! This one is a crazy ride full of ups, downs, and maybe a cliffie or 20. Enjoy!  
> \--AR

The morning after the garage fire, Clarke knocks on the door of the room where Raven had stayed. She hears shuffling and glances at Tank.

“I take it Miles Shaw showed up last night?”

He grins. “Sha, Wanheda.”

Clarke chuckles and rolls her eyes. A moment later the door is cracked open and Raven peeks out.

“Uh, hey, Clarke. Um, so, I, uh…”

“I know Miles is in there.” She holds up a bag. “Brought you some clothes and your back up brace in case the other one got damaged when Anya shoved you out the window.”

“Oh. Uh, thanks.”

Clarke sighs. “Are you going to let me in or not?”

Raven glances over her shoulder then opens the door wider to let the blonde into the room. Clarke walks in and sees Miles blushing and trying to look anywhere but at Clarke. The blonde grins.

“Miles, I told Raven I am good with you two dating. Please tell me she told you that,” Clarke states.

Miles shrugs. “She did, Wanheda. I just…didn’t want you to think I was…disrespecting her or not considering her reputation,” he explains.

Clarke giggles. “Her reputation?” She looks at Raven. “What the hell have you told him?”

Raven shrugs, blushing. “Just…you know…that I…”

“Please don’t tell me you told him you were a virgin or something?”

Raven’s face flares again and she blasts out some pheromones. “NO! I mean, not exactly. I just…told him I was waiting for the right man.”

Clarke giggles again and looks at Miles. “So you think she’s a virgin? Or was a virgin?”

“Well…not exactly,” he mumbles.

Clarke rolls her eyes. “Oh good grief. You are both too ridiculously cute. So, enough of that. Raven, have you had anyone hanging around the garage lately? Maybe someone trying to figure out what you’re doing?”

Raven shrugs and sits on the end of the bed. “All the time. People are always curious about what we’re working on. Kids will ask questions. People bring me stuff they have found to see what it is and if it can be repaired or something.”

“But no one out of the ordinary? No one that seemed angry or aggressive?”

Raven thinks hard then shakes her head. “No, nothing like that,” she answers.

Clarke sighs. She glances at Miles. “Has anyone said anything to you? Anything to make you feel nervous or unsafe?”

“About Raven? No. About me? Yeah, sometimes someone will accuse me of shit that they heard about what happened up there. But most people have been really cool about things, helping me and stuff.”

Clarke nods as she considers what they have told her. She is no closer to figuring out a motive than she was before. She sits down beside her best friend.

“Look, until we figure this out, stay here in the tower at night, okay?” Raven nods. Clarke looks to Miles. “And maybe you could stay to, you know, make sure she doesn’t have bad dreams or something.”

He grins. “I could do that, Wanheda.”

“Clarke. It’s Clarke when we’re in private, okay?”

Miles shrugs. “I’ll try. Will be hard. It’s a military thing. You’re my commander. Would be inappropriate to not call you by your title.”

“Yeah, but in private you’re banging my best friend so it’s just Clarke.”

“CLARKE! Damn it, I hate you sometimes,” Raven mutters as Miles nearly dies from embarrassment.

Clarke laughs and stands. “Look, lay low today. Anya is out hunting down anyone that might have seen or heard anything. I’ll check on you later, okay?”

Raven and Miles nod. Clarke steps to Raven and places her hands on her shoulders.

“Hey, all kidding aside, we’ll find out what’s going on, okay? We’ll keep you safe. Ai swega,” she vows, staring into scared eyes.

Raven just nods. Clarke moves to the door, glancing back when she hears the bed squeak. She sees Miles has sat down and pulled Raven into a hug. She smiles at them then takes her leave. Time to get an update on the investigation from the general.

* * *

Anya slams her hand down on her war room table. “There has to be SOMEONE who saw SOMETHING!” she yells at Praxis.

He nods. “I agree. But no one is talking.” He pauses. “I can only think of one reason why…”

Anya inhales angrily. “Because we spoke to the person that aided or even carried out this attack. Maybe to several people. The attackers are here in Polis permanently; they aren’t visitors,” she concludes.

“Sha, General, I fear that is correct.”

“Then we stop trying to find out who and concentrate on why. What does Raven represent?”

“Technology,” he answers immediately. “Having deduced that is a possibility, I’ve asked Harper and Henry to guard Monty. Additionally, I’ve ordered 6 to guard the garage each night.”

Anya nods. “Good idea. We need to send word to the clans to be vigilant regarding any tech they have and to keep their ear to the ground for those that may be adamantly against it. This could have been the first attack on tech.”

He nods. “Sha, General. I will inform Arcadia to be especially on guard.”

Anya nods and he leaves. She starts to pace.

“I take it the word isn’t good, General?”

Anya turns to see Lexa in her doorway. “That is an understatement, Heda.” She gestures to the papers on her desk. “No one has seen anything.”

Her voice filled with frustration, she recounts what she has just discussed with Praxis. Lexa is pacing by the end.

“Well thought out, General. But can we be sure it’s about technology? I mean, it’s helping us,” she points out.

“But many still blame technology for ending the world 100 years ago. Add in the kidnapping of Wanheda by those with advanced technology and it would serve to stir the flames. Coming so soon after the A.L.I.E. debacle I fear we have not been as aware as we should have been about those that might blame the past for our present,” the general notes.

Lexa nods, kicking herself for failing to see this situation developing. “I was too damn distracted by my personal life,” she mutters, her little voice of doubt sounding an awful lot like the voice of Titus.

Anya stares at her. She says nothing, having also wondered if she had missed something while concerned about their mate. It just so happens, Clarke takes that moment to walk into the room. She is blasted back by the pheromone level.

“Holy shit! Turn it back, ladies!” she orders.

Lexa sighs and runs her hands over her face. She steps to one of the windows and opens it. “Sorry, Wanheda. I think we were busy chastising ourselves.”

Clarke walks further in, shutting the door behind her. “For what?”

“For missing that there was something brewing, an undercurrent of discontent, that was building to this attack on Raven and Monty’s garage,” Lexa explains.

Clarke swallows hard as she stares into the black eyes of Anya. “How did you miss it?” she asks carefully. Neither answers her. She slowly nods her head. “Ah. You worried about me, not your people, right?” Still no answer. “Well suck it up, buttercups. What’s done is done. You can make your amends to the people by figuring out what the hell is going on,” she says harshly.

Lexa studies their omega. “You figured it out, too, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. Raven has no idea who would do this. The only ones that came around were curious or had things for her to look at. I spoke to Monty and he said the same. Whoever planned this attack watched from afar until they could strike. The question is what do we do next?”

“We need to send out spies to listen and report back what they hear. We need to visit clans and make sure they are aware of what is happening,” Lexa states, then looks to her general. “We’ll need to make that happen soon.” She starts to pace. “The sooner we get our boots on the ground the sooner we get ahead of our foes.”

Anya studies Clarke carefully. “What the fuck does ‘suck it up buttercups’ mean?”

Her two mates turn towards her. Of all that has been said, THAT is what she has focused on. Clarke tries to bite back a giggle. Lexa lets out a chuckle. Then the two are all out laughing. Anya eventually gives in and smiles. A little.

“Thank you, niron, for that moment,” Lexa says.

“Didn’t mean to give it but you’re welcome. But what to do is the big question,” she agrees, turning the meeting back to serious. “As I reported to Heda I am sending warnings out for extra vigilance on technology equipment clans might have and asking them to keep an ear to the ground for potential terrorists.”

Lexa huffs. “Terrorists?”

“Terrorists hit quickly, quietly. Their attacks are unexpected but devastating,” Anya explains. “Had Raven’s neighbor not seen something that fire would have destroyed the garage and, potentially, killed Raven in the process.”

Clarke nods. “I agree. Terrorists usually claim responsibility eventually. They want people to know their agenda and to fear the next attack.”

Lexa considers this a moment. “We need to know more about their frame of mind.” She looks to Clarke. “We have someone who understands terrorism like no one else alive.”

Clarke bristles. “No!”

Anya sighs. “I hate to say it, but Lexa is right. We understand skirmishes, maybe even small bands of thugs. I have book knowledge of terrorism like this but Diyoza has first-hand knowledge. We need to know what our foes will do next, Wanheda. We need to know what they will do now that they have failed.”

Clarke growls and starts to pace. Lexa moves to another window and opens it as the omega’s angry pheromones fill the air. Clarke finally stops pacing and turns to glare at her mates.

“I hate that I have no argument to combat yours,” she growls. “Shall I send for her?”

Lexa shakes her head. “I will go speak to her personally. When I asked her what she saw as her future I could see there is pain in her heart over her past. I found her a job that would help her forget all that; now we ask she remembers it.”

Clarke just grunts her agreement. Anya gives her mate a confident nod. Lexa leaves and goes down to the fifth floor, knowing Diyoza isn’t working that day. Jana comes to attention as Heda steps off the elevator.

“She is in?”

“Sha, Heda. She is preparing to take Hope to the garden.”

“That could be delayed.”

Lexa raps on the door. Diyoza answers, her face registering shock that Lexa didn’t just walk on in. The two women study each other a moment. Diyoza sighs.

“It was terrorists, wasn’t it?”

“I believe so. Will you help us?”

Diyoza studies the woman in front of her a moment. For some reason she sees the question is really that and not an order. It gives her a new level of respect for the Commander. She could easily demand that the former convict help but is respecting the pain that knowledge brings her. Diyoza nods.

“What can I do to help?”


	2. Chapter 2

Clarke can’t stop the growl as Lexa leads Diyoza into Anya’s meeting room. Anya kicks her ankle to get her to stop. Diyoza pauses and stares at her usurper.

“Look, I can never apologize enough for up there. But can you at least see me helping here is a me trying to make amends for what happened?”

Clarke glares at her. “We need your help. It doesn’t mean I forgive you for murdering my child.”

“I  _didn’t_   murder your child! McCreary’s men set off that bomb, NOT me!”

Clarke steps towards her, jabbing her finger in the air at the woman. “YOU took me up there! YOU gave him the chance!”

“Maybe so,” Diyoza concedes. “Maybe I should have left your asses behind and let him bomb this world to hell. Then I wouldn’t have to deal with your judgement and you forgetting that I saved EVERYONE but that child!”

“EM PLENI!” Lexa hollers. “Wanheda, you will work with Diyoza until the threat is done.”

Clarke glares at the colonel. “Sha, Heda. My apologies.”

She does not sound at all apologetic for her anger at the woman. One again Anya is impressed that Clarke spoke on behalf of the woman during the trial when her anger and hatred are barely controlled. She steps closer to her omega, pumping out her own calming scent to try to help calm her. Clarke recognizes what Anya is doing and steps closer to her.

“Thank you,” she mumbles.

“Sha, ai prisa,” she whispers.

Lexa watches until she is sure Clarke is calmed before turning back to Diyoza. “Anya has read about terrorists but we need to understand their mindset. I know this is hard for you but what can you tell us?”

Diyoza shrugs and starts to pace. “I can tell you for me it was that I felt the government I believed in, that I defended, had turned against us all. I truly believed I was doing the right thing by trying to stop them while also exposing them for their lies to the public. My guess is those that are acting now feel the same. Is there anything that would lead them to fear the tech you are bringing back?”

“A.L.I.E.,” the triumvirate says at the same time.

Diyoza lifts her eyebrows in surprise. The triad glances to each other. It can be the only thing.

“People have been uncomfortable since the Delinquents came down. The truth of Mt Weather didn’t help. The Ark’s arrival was a pain in the ass. And then Jaha launched A.L.I.E. which was a hell like we couldn’t have predicted,” Clarke notes. “It would have been the final push against the tech we brought from space or took from Mt Weather. If people killed those they loved or had loved ones killed due to the chip, they would be ripe for the message that tech is bad.”

Lexa nods. “I agree. But it’s been a while.” She looks to Diyoza. “Why would they wait almost 3 years to react?”

“They’d have to find each other, build up more support and, more importantly, supplies to carry out sustained attacks that do more than just scare people. That attack should have destroyed the garage. Failing the way it did will only stand to anger them more.” She thinks a moment. “Their next attack would be soon if I was leading them. They need to show they aren’t a joke. They need to prove their aims should be met and they should be feared until their demands are followed.”

Lexa nods. “And their next target? Will it be here again or somewhere else?”

“Somewhere else. They know there is heightened awareness here. Polis will, most likely, be an endgame for them now. But they need to strike quickly so people know this is the start of their mission.”

“Mission?” Anya questions.

Diyoza nods. “Yes, mission. This is what it is to them. This isn’t just a passing fancy. They will have plans drawn up, contingency plans for each action, and each action will have the aim of making people blame technology for the terror.”

“Like us at first blaming Raven for the fire,” Lexa notes. “So…they attack technology but they don’t care if people are hurt because they will put the blame on the tech, not on themselves. Each death or injury furthers their cause.”

“In their minds, yes. They believe that their actions are justified to show the people the horrors inherent in technology.” She swallows hard. “I was convinced by killing people who supported, politically or materially, what I saw as a corrupt government, others would follow me and demand answers.” She shrugs. “They only demanded my head.”

“The Trikru need to be warned,” Clarke says into the silence that follows.

“Why?” Anya asks.

“If Diyoza is right and they need to act quickly to get the reaction they need to further their cause Trikru would be the closest clan to attack. They have the radio system,” she points out.

“True,” Lexa agrees. “But Azgeda has the radio and, since they are farther from Arkadia, they also have some of the medial machines that could be targets.” She thinks a moment. “Wanheda, take your Raiders and ride to the Trikru and then to Arkadia. General, ride to Azgeda with the Royal Guard. I will call ahead to all 3 clans to warn them to be on alert.” She looks to Diyoza. “Is there anything more you can tell us?”

Diyoza reaches up and rubs the scar on her neck. “Yes. Shoot to kill. You arrest them, you give their followers reason to attack. You injure them, they will claim torture to incite their people more. Dead…they are just martyrs.”

“Martyrs can be rallying cries,” Anya points out.

“True. Or martyrs can be used. The dead can’t argue. The martyr can be turned into a spy for the Heda, someone who died at the hands of others in the cause because they found out their deception. This would create cracks in the minds of the others.” She looks at Clarke. “You know that tactic, Wanheda. You did it with Burns.”

Clarke tenses, remembering starting the rumor in front of one of McCreary’s men, whom they later let escape, that Burns had warned them of the bomb and that’s why so few were hurt. It was also why they had him “escape” so he could bring them more information. They had spoken of others who were working with them. It had sent McCreary into a rampage and he had killed some of his own people on the chance that they were traitors. It had helped even the odds. Clarke nods.

“Yeah, I did. Only I didn’t kill Burns. McCreary killed him,” she states.

“That help you sleep at night? Telling yourself you’re not the reason Burns died the way he did?” Diyoza challenges.

Clarke leaps at the woman with a roar. Only her alphas keep her from reaching her target. “I did what I had to do to survive! We HAD to lower his numbers or we’d all be DEAD!”

“Yep…that’s how a terrorist justifies their actions, too.”

Lexa glares at Diyoza. “OUT! NOW!”

Diyoza nods once to the Heda then leaves. Lexa grabs Clarke by the face and stares into her eyes.

“YOU are no terrorist, Klark! You are right: you had to even the odds. Anya and I would have done the same. It is a brilliant tactic. Think: it’s what the Maunon did for so many years to keep us in check.”

Clarke laughs humorlessly and pulls her head away then jerks her arms from Anya’s grip. “So…I’m no better than Cage Wallace. Good to know. I need to get my Raiders ready to ride.”

She starts past Lexa, who grabs her and spins her back.

“Do NOT put words in my mouth!”

Clarke looks at her with a calm that belies the ache in her gut. “Don’t try to justify my actions as better than his. Now you finally understand why I would have accepted death or banishment. I didn’t realize it at the time but I was a terrorist up there, Lexa, not a general. I justified what I did just like these people are doing now.”

“But there is a difference, Klark. You regret those that you killed. These people would not have mourned Raven or any other that might have died if the garage had exploded,” Lexa tells her.

Clarke thinks about that a minute then shrugs. “Who says I regret killing them?”

She pulls away and walks out. Lexa and Anya exchange a look. Clarke had come so far in accepting what she had done up there. But this seems to have made her once more question her motives. Lexa sighs.

“Carry out your orders, General.”

“Fuck that! What about Klark?”

Lexa turns to her alpha. “When this is over, we deal with it. In some ways she’s right about using terrorist tactics. But she’s wrong in thinking she is anything like Diyoza or Cage Wallace. Right now we have lives to save.”

Anya grunts her unhappiness. She tracks down a messenger to call for the Royal Guard war detail to assemble. When she gets up to her suite, she sees Diyoza leaving with Hope. The general glares at the woman.

“What you said was disgusting. I should skin you alive for it,” she growls.

“You two are so bent on forgiving her and helping her forget what she did up there you’re missing the damn point I was making. If she thinks about it, she’ll figure out where your enemies will strike next. She needs to think the way she did up there and teach you two how to do it, too. My experience is from decades ago; hers is recent. She knows these people; she understands them in ways I never can. And  _that_   is what will stop them, not coddling her and pretending that year in hell didn’t happen.”

Anya glares at the woman. Damn, she hates that the bitch is right! “Stay close to the tower. If word gets out you’ve advised Heda it could put a target on you and Hope.”

She pushes past the woman and goes to her suite. Diyoza sighs, recognizing that is as close as she will get to the general admitting the colonel is right. She kisses Hope on the cheek.

“Come on, big girl. Let’s go read a book, okay?”

Hope smiles and claps. Jana studies them and decides she will call for an extra guard on Diyoza’s detail. If the colonel does become a target it would be good to have someone to help protect the child. Well, and maybe the colonel, too.

Not that Jana cared about Diyoza. Really.

* * *

Two hours later, Clarke pulls herself up into Hera’s saddle. She has her sidearm, her sword and a rifle. She looks to her men.

“RAIDERS! We ride for the Trikru and we only stop once to rest! KOM TRIGEDAKRU!”

“KOM TRIGEDAKRU!” they yell in response.

She glances over at her mates and nods, leading her men out of Polis. When they are out of sight, Anya turns to Lexa.

“Thank you for speaking with her before she left. She said it helped.”

Lexa looks at her in shock and anger. “That branwada! She said she spoke to you!”

Anya rolls her eyes. “Should have guessed. We should have- - ”

“I know, I know, we should have held out for a beta,” Lexa mumbles, making Anya grin.

“Actually, ai houman, I was going to say we should have spoken with her together.” She pauses. “But the beta thing stands, too.”

The two share a smile. If Clarke was in good enough mind to fool them, she will be okay. Besides, Gustus and Max will keep an eye on her. Tank was still on Raven duty, just in case.

Lexa walks Anya to where her troops are preparing to leave. Azgeda, like Trikru, is on high alert but both clans are appreciative of the added support. All clans have been warned and know to protect their radios and medical equipment, and to ask around about those who have voiced mistrust of the electronics.

They can only pray this does not turn into a witch hunt, something Lexa had read up about after a talk with Abby years before. They will do their damnedest to only make those behind the attacks pay for their crimes against the Coalition.


	3. Chapter 3

Gustus glances to his right. “You didn’t share a hug with your alphas.” Clarke just grunts. “There is an unease in you I have never seen before, Wanheda. Care to talk it out?”

“No,” she answers harshly.

Gustus just nods, thinking back to the days of a young Heda Lexa, who was learning just what being a leader meant. “You still regret your actions in space, yes?”

“Gustus, I don’t need a chat or a lesson or anything else right now. I just want to be alone with my thoughts,” she growls.

“Your mood affects your men, Clarke. Surely you know that.”

Clarke lets out a frustrated sigh. She glances over her shoulder to see the looks on the faces of her Raiders. They seem concerned beyond what they normally would be. She rides a few mores paces then pulls Hera around to face them. They stop to see what she has to say. She slowly looks to each man and woman, meeting the eyes of all those she can.

“We are going up against terrorists. Many of you may not know that term but it isn’t something you haven’t seen before. These people think they have a cause to stand behind. They think they have a lesson to teach us all. And they believe these attacks will sway others to their cause.” She pauses. “Murder does not equal right; it never has. Some of the things I did in space came out in the trial. I didn’t plan to speak so that the people that did could do so freely. For whatever reason, they chose to ignore my most grievous sins.”

* * *

_“Best count is he has nearly 200 men and women at his disposal. I know that doesn’t make sense with our numbers but the assumption is he ordered killed any he had a beef with before they left Earth or those who spoke out against him or his lieutenants when they came out of cryo,” Bellamy whispers._

_Clarke and Monty nod their heads as they process this information._

_“If we get control of their food, they can’t eat,” Monty points out._

_Clarke nods. “True. As much as I hate to say it, I’m sure someone over there was smart enough to shift around food rations just in case.” She thinks a second, then glances towards a traitor they had caught, who is tied to a chair in the corner, gagged and blindfolded. “We need to send a message.”_

_“With him?” Bellamy asks. “What makes you think McCreary will listen? This guy missed his check in so McCreary has probably already written him off?”_

_“Because he will overhear us talking, he’ll manage to escape, and to try to keep McCreary from killing him, he’ll offer up information.”_

_“You want to use him to plant disinformation,” Monty states._

_“I do. And we need to figure out who else is working against us. We’ll do the same to them. Let McCreary kill them for us,” she says. She thinks a moment. “We’ll mention that Burns was working with us and that is why no one died. We’ll say he knows how to use the machine to kill as well as cure and that others are working with us from behind McCreary’s line.”_

_“Clarke, you know what McCreary will do. He won’t just kill them. He’ll torture them,” Monty points out._

_Clarke looks at him with dead eyes. “I know.” She looks at Bellamy. “Let’s do this. Monty, not another word,” she says harshly, stopping his protest. “Get on the computers. Figure out other ways to use this ship against them.”_

_He studies her a moment, then looks to Bellamy, who just nods. Monty shakes his head and turns to follow orders. Clarke looks to Bellamy._

_“Let’s go.”_

* * *

“When he returned to McCreary with the information, Burns was slowly tortured. Ears and fingers cut off, tongue cut out, he was blinded, he was a mass of injuries. And then he was left outside our containment area to die.” She swallows hard. “I ordered my people to ignore his moans for help. When he died…I had his body launched into space. Some would say what I did to him, and then didn’t do  _for_   him, makes me no better than those that attacked Polis last night. Other information we planted cost McCreary 19 men, a stash of weapons, and a months’ worth of food because he was guarding the wrong place when our people raided their supplies. Our stooge was also tortured and left to die outside our doors.”

She watches as her Raiders exchange uneasy looks. This is not the Wanheda they remember. Clarke is a healer! She doesn’t let people die painful deaths! She puffs out her chest.

“Some would say tactics I ordered are no different than tossing Molotov cocktails at Raven’s garage and hoping her death, and the death of others, make people follow their cause. I did things that are against our laws, our morals, and our Heda’s commands. I can’t order you to decide if I was right or wrong up there. Honestly, I don’t know myself one day to the next. I employed terrorist tactics to win. Some would say they are dishonorable, that they have no place in polite society. There was a time I’d have been vocally against everything I did.” She glances at Gustus then back to her men. “Without reprisal, any of you that cannot follow me knowing I crossed a line that disgusts me may return to Polis for reassignment.”

She turns Hera around and kicks her into a trot to make up for lost time. Soon she hears the sound of hooves following her. Gustus gets up beside her once more.

“Wanheda’s Raiders are behind you. Every damn one of them,” he reports. He pauses a moment. “And despite their hardheadedness, your alphas are, too, though perhaps a bit farther away.”

Clarke chuckles a bit at that. “Sha, I know. I left a note for Lexa in our suite and tucked one into Anya’s saddlebag.”

“What you did up there…I will never hold it against you. You brought yourself back, as well as my godson. And my hope is some of what you learned will help us stop these bastards before anyone is hurt.”

Clarke gives him a small smile. “Mochof, Gustus. Mochof.”

* * *

Anya crumples the note and shoves it back in her saddlebag. “That little shit is getting as bad as Lexa,” she mutters.

She nods to her aide to take her things up to the room she has been given in Roan’s fortress. She steps forward and bows her head to the king.

“King Roan, I trust all is well?”

“Very. We caught two men scouting the room where we keep the radio. Further questioning led us to two more who were trying to figure out how to infiltrate the medical facilities,” he reports.

“Makes sense. Destroy communication first, then attack the medical,” Anya notes. She looks to Echo. “They have all be questioned?”

“We saved the second two for you, General,” she reports.

Anya grins. “Aw, it’s almost like my birthday.”

Roan chuckles. “True. Rest tonight. We’ll have them put in rooms for you tomorrow morning.”

Anya nods. “Mochof. May I use your radio to call back to Polis?”

Roan nods. “Of course. Echo, have someone escort the general to the radio. Join me after for a late dinner?”

Anya nods. “I’d be honoured but, uh, don’t tell Klark and Lexa I’m being cordial to you.”

Roan laughs. “It will be our secret, General.”

Twenty minutes later, Anya is giving her report directly to Lexa. Lexa growls.

“Similar report from Gustus. Clarke was going to question the men tonight then radio what she finds out.”

“I see. Are we…alone, Heda?”

“Sha. Let me guess: you found a note.”

“Sha. The branwada left it in my saddlebag. Telling me she loves me, she’s sorry for the outburst, and she swears she’s trying to get better. But that there are times she still hears the screams of Burns and the other man in the dark of night.”

Lexa nods. “She said the same to me. I thought she was better.”

“She was! But this…this brought it back to her. She buries things then it explodes back on her.” Anya sighs. “Is there a way to give her amnesia since she won’t forgive herself?”

Lexa grins. “I am afraid not, niron. All we can do is get through this dilemma, then hold her until these reawakened demons are chased from her head.”

“I was afraid you’d say that. When you speak with her, give her my love. And a slight scolding, too.”

“I will. Sleep well, Anya. Be safe, my love.”

“You, too, Lexa. Ai hod yu in.”

The two sign off. Lexa reaches into her shirt and pulls out the message from Clarke. She sighs as she reads it once more. It contains the full confession on the Burns incident Diyoza alluded to as well as the words of apology and love for her alphas.

“We’ll work with you to continue your healing, hodnes. We will never stop,” Lexa vows to the note.

* * *

Clarke stares at the man in the cell. She flicks a glance at Indra. “Let me guess…he fell on his face, too?”

Indra grunts. “My warriors may have been…overzealous in their actions while capturing him.”

Clarke chuckles. “Ah. Hate when that happens,” she replies with a smirk. She addresses the prisoner. “Who sent you and why?” He says nothing. “You can stay silent, you can kill yourself for all I care. But what your buddies will hear, before we ‘accidentally’ set them free is how much help you gave us. Yep, they will hear how you told us everything about your little band of idiots. All in exchange for a few bandages, a good meal, and a second chance.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Oh, I would. I have done it before and I’ll do it again. I’ll make sure they know your family is behind you 100%.”

He spits at her. “My family is dead! Killed by that…that computer your people brought to life.”

“Oh. Then maybe you aren’t the best one to die. We’ll send you back after the others are gone and have had a chance to report you. Tell me: what do you think your buddies will do when you walk into camp all healed up by Skaikru technology?”

His eyes widen. “You…you can’t do that! I have no one if I don’t have- -”

He catches himself before he says too much. Clarke smiles. “Loners. People who think they have reason to band together. And with no one left to blame, someone stepped up and offered you something to focus on. Who is it?” He remains silent. “Look, I’m sorry you lost your loved ones to A.L.I.E. but I can promise you that program is done. What isn’t done, is you disrespecting those you loved by using their deaths to commit murder.”

“It’s NOT murder! We only want the machines and weapons and…and computers to go away! They bring NOTHING but death!” he shouts furiously. “First the Maunon. Then the Skaikru. And then that chip. Then a ship appears from the darkness of space once more and look what happened!”

Clarke slaps the bars. “You don’t need to tell  _me_   about the spaceship, Tristan! I know full well what happened there. You have NO idea. But what I do know, is some of the machines help us. We have communication between clans; we have medical advances that can save lives, we have- -”

“You have weapons that can kill us all!” he says, glaring at her hip.

Clarke slowly nods and pulls out her pistol. “Very true.” She cocks the gun and points it at him. Indra looks at her in shock. “And if I were to shoot you now, say, in the leg, my mother’s medical devices would have a chance to save it. So…what would you think of those machines if I fire?”

She aims at his knee. He looks to Indra, his eyes pleading for help. Clarke slowly releases the hammer and holsters her weapon.

“As I thought. For now my gun has been put away. Don’t for a minute think I won’t pull it once more. So tell me, Tristan, who are you working with?”

The man looks from her to Indra, then back again. He leans against the back wall of his cell.

“Go ahead and shoot me. Then let me fucking die,” he answers.

Clarke studies him a moment then turns and storms out. “Fuck,” she mutters. “I need to know who he’s working with; what they call themselves. Information is leverage and right now we don’t have shit.”

“We’ve kept them separated. They don’t know that,” Jamie points out.

Clarke thinks a moment, then grins. “Good point. Wait here.”

She turns and walks back into the hut. Indra glances at Jamie, who shrugs. A moment later they both jump as they hear Clarke’s pistol fire. Wanheda walks out of the hut, the barrel still smoking. She holsters her gun and gestures to Indra.

“Lead me to the next man.”

Indra looks at one of the guards. “Send for Nyko to tend to the- -”

“Nyko isn’t needed,” Clarke interrupts. “Let’s go.”

Indra and Jamie exchange a look then lead Clarke on to the next hut. Clarke walks in and stares at the prisoner.

“What was that shot?” the man demands, fear on his face.

“Tristan just took a bullet between the eyes. He gave me the information I needed to stop your people.” She pulls her gun and levels it at the man. “Guess we don’t need you.”

His eyes widen as he sees the hammer start to move.

* * *

A man steps up in front of a crowd. They immediately quiet when they see him. He takes his time looking over them.

“My children, we have had three setbacks, but the war has only just begun. We must be more careful than we knew. They are expecting something, but they know not what or who or where. We must not only be stealthy, we must be vigilant, and we must be cautious. It is better to walk away from the plan than to execute it poorly and give our enemies a victory.” He pauses to let that thought sink in. “Understand, my children, that we will not flee into the night like children scared by dreams of deadly weapons from space. No…no we would retreat only to regroup and fight again another day. Wisdom and patience win more wars than blind attacks.”

He starts to pace in front of them. They wait in eerie silence as he gathers his thoughts.

“Our attack on Polis let them know we are here and ready to be answered to. I sent two teams out, one to the Trikru and one to Azgeda.” He sighs. “My source in the Tower tells me all have been caught. General Anya rides to Azgeda to question those patriots; Wanheda rides to the woods and then, most likely, to Arkadia. I have gotten word to a third team.” He pauses once more. “They will NOT fail us!”

He throws up his arms in victory. His people cheer. He gives them a moment then lowers his arms once more.

“Make no mistake, while the eyes of the Heda are looking elsewhere, the Children of Aseity will return the world to one of Divine Simplicity. Change was not needed thousands of years ago. Our contemporaries and our predecessors have proven change is deadly. We must accept death, disease, famine as part of the plan of the cosmos. The age of machines should have died 100 years ago. It is time to live as one with nature and the world, not with the technology that has done more harm than good for as far back as we can see.

“Tomorrow, my children, flames will light the sky as the Tower falls and we will rise up to lead our people into a divine future!”

The people cheer. Brother Thomas, the self-proclaimed Divine Spirit, smiles down upon them. His ancestors had seen what technology was doing to the world and founded the Children of Aseity to spread their beliefs. Even before A.L.I.E. destroyed the world they had questioned the need for technology and feared they were dooming themselves by relying so much on computers. During time in their bunker, Thomas and his predecessors had read books, historical documents, anything they could find that showed the negative effects of advanced mechanics and electronics.

And they had burned anything that refuted their beliefs.

By Divine Intervention, they had left their bunker in the wake of A.L.I.E.’s reawakening. He had found those broken by the chip. He had offered them aid, a friend, comfort and, eventually, salvation by death. And the Children of Aseity had used those sacrifices to learn enough about the clans to start their campaign. Secrecy was their first tenet. Their second was infiltration. And now they were ready. The Coalition would fall and his people would rise up to install him as leader. He would expose the Heda for the android that she is and kill anyone else who could bear the chip she has in her head. If all goes according to plan, the rule of the Nightbloods will be over in mere days.

And Brother Thomas will be the new Divine Ruler of the known world.


	4. Chapter 4

The man throws his hands up in front of him and backs up against the wall, as if bones and distance would save him from the bullet.

“WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! STOP!” he shouts.

Clarke stills her finger but doesn’t lower the gun. He slowly lowers his hands.

“What…what did Tristan tell you?”

Clarke says nothing.

“He didn’t know everything! Don’t kill me!”

“Why not? As far as I can tell, I know everything about your group. You’re larger than we know, you have infiltrated all the clans, and you are ready to strike to get people to fear advances in weaponry and technology. What more do I need to know?”

The man swallows hard. “You…you need to know where we are! Who leads us!”

“We’ll find the leaders eventually. In the meantime, we don’t have to worry about scum like you.”

She starts to pull the trigger again.

“NO! Please! I can tell you where they gather! Where Brother Thomas speaks to us!”

Clarke studies him a moment. “Okay. But if you lie to us, I come back and shoot you in both knees, the shoulders, and any place else I can think of that will hurt you but not kill you. Well, at least not right away.”

About twenty minutes later, Clarke leads Indra and Jamie out of the hut. They huddle together for a moment.

“I take it you remember that place,” Indra states.

“How could I forget. It was the first time I think Lexa saw I might have some worth when it comes to thinking,” she states.

“Care to fill me in?” Jamie asks.

Clarke looks to her. “It’s the old lair of the pauna that attacked us and killed Byrne.”

Jamie’s eyes widen. “Ah. So nice it hasn’t gone to waste,” she jokes dryly.

Clarke smirks at her. Indra looks at Clarke, obviously uncomfortable.

“Uh, Wanheda, about the first man…what should we do with his…body?”

Clarke shrugs. “I’d guess feed it.”

Indra frowns. “Feed it to what?” she snaps.

Clarke chuckles. “I meant feed his body. He’s probably hungry right now.”

Jamie shakes her head. “What the hell, Wanheda?”

“The bullet went right by his head. He passed out from fear. I just needed the second idiot to hear the shot and not hear Tristan screaming. He lives,” she explains.

Jamie starts to laugh. Indra rolls her eyes and mutters several words in Trigedasleng that Clarke has never heard before. She is pretty sure they aren’t good.

“Look, I had to make you all believe I killed him. Your edginess added to Benedict’s belief that I killed his buddy and his best chance to live was to betray his group. I’m going to radio Polis. Indra, get a squad together. We ride to attack at dawn.”

Indra bows her head. “Sha, Wanheda.”

* * *

Lexa hangs up the radio mic. “It’s too easy,” she mutters.

Diyoza nods. “I agree.”

When Lexa got word Clarke had a lead she had sent for the colonel. The two leaders think a moment.

“If it were me, I’d have moved my people as soon as I heard teams had been captured,” Diyoza explains. “You’d have to believe someone would break and give up something. I’d have second, third, even fourth locations to move to, especially with the world the way it is. How many abandoned cities, buildings, valleys that can sustain my followers and keep us a step ahead of your forces.”

Lexa nods. “Smart tactics. And they have had time to prepare those locations. They will be well fortified, sha?”

Diyoza nods. “Yes. They don’t want to be found but will be prepared if they are. My guess is even though they are hidden, they have scout outposts that will see an approaching force and have a way to let those in the compound know to be ready.”

“Obviously not radios,” Lexa notes.

Diyoza shrugs. “Maybe, maybe not. They could see radios as a way to even up the fight even though they despise them.”

Lexa nods again. “Damn. Come. We go to the council room and start to look at maps. Let’s see if we can guess where they might be hiding out.”

Diyoza nods and follows the commander. Once they have all left the room, the radio man stands up and leans over the window sill, affixing some C-4 just out of sight. He carefully pushes in the detonator that will be controlled by Brother Thomas. He smiles.

“One bomb down, 12 to go,” he whispers, then returns to the radio to await more information.

* * *

Clarke slowly leads her Raiders forward. Indra’s troops have surrounded the remains of the National Zoo and are slowly closing in. Clarke and her people are already inside. She can smell the stench of trash and human waste. She pauses, lifting her hand to tell her men to hunker down.

“This is wrong. We should have seen a sentry by now. Seen…seen something,” she whispers to Gustus.

He nods. “I agree.”

The share a look. They are too late. Clarke stands and starts to walk forward without caution. Gustus rolls his eyes and follows her. Her Raiders follow their leaders. They get to an area that had once housed a small amphitheater. They can see that people had been there but there is nothing now.

“WANHEDA! HERE!”

Clarke makes her way towards Max. He points to a wall and she lets out a low growl.

“Remnants of that fuck Emerson,” she grumbles.

“Sha,” Gustus agrees.

On the wall, painted in what is (hopefully) animal blood are three words: Too Late Wanheda.

“They knew we were coming. Either Indra has a spy or…or Heda does,” Clarke points out. Gustus and Max both nod. “Max, send a messenger to Indra to prepare to move towards Arcadia. Gustus, send a messenger to Polis. Tell them to deliver the message to Raven.”

“Raven?”

“Sha. They will be watching for us to send something to Lexa. They won’t even notice Raven getting a message and since she’s staying in the Tower for now…”

Gustus grins. “It won’t be hard for her to get the message to Heda casually. Well done.”

Clarke lifts her head in welcome as Indra walks up. The general reads the wall and looks to Clarke.

“I have sent Lieutenant Avery back to the village. He will find the spy,” she vows.

Clarke nods. “Good. Let’s get to Arcadia. If the weather holds we can get there by noon.”

They get everyone mounted up and set off for the Ark. Time to make sure they are as secure as they can be.

* * *

Anya grabs the man by the chin and starts to squeeze. “Threaten my mates once more and I will cut out that tongue,” she warns.

The man has no doubt she means it. He doesn’t care. He laughs as best he can in her grip.

“Heda is finished. Those brats are finished. The rule of the Nightbloods is over!”

She shoves him away, her stomach turning at the thought of any of the young warriors in training dying. Add in fear for her own children and she is barely controlling her wolf. Bellamy watches from nearby, admiring the self-control of the strong alpha. She starts to walk circles around her prisoner.

“Based on what your little friend said before I killed him, there are 8 of you here in Azgeda. Where are the other 4?” she asks again.

“When I kill you and Lexa, I will mate Clarke myself,” he promises with an evil smile.

Before Anya can respond, Bellamy slams the butt of his rifle into the man’s temple. Anya looks at him in surprise.

“Didn’t want you to cut his tongue out before he talked,” he explains, then steps back once more.

Anya simply nods at the newest Azgeda High Inquisitor. The man’s head is bobbing as he tries to clear the cobwebs.

“You have one last chance to tell me what I need to know then I turn you over to Azgeda for summary judgement on the charge of treason and sedition.”

He spits at her. “I will die that the world may live. I DIE FOR YOU, BROTHER THOMAS!”

Anya says nothing. She storms out of the room as the man starts to scream his devotion to this “Brother Thomas” person. Bellamy looks at her as the cell door is slammed shut.

“Who the hell is Brother Thomas?”

“No idea. We can have a message radioed to Polis. Let’s go talk with the other prisoner.”

Bellamy smirks. “You mean the one whose tongue you cut out?”

Anya rolls her eyes. “Sha, branwada, I lied to the bad man. Get over it,” she grunts.

“Just learning from the best, General,” he replies as he follows her down the hall.

Anya nods to the guards outside the door and he opens the cell. She and Bellamy step in.

“Well fuck,” Anya mumbles.

The man had managed to free himself of the ropes binding him, then used them to hang himself. Bellamy sighs.

“That’s 3 dead. I swear to you, General, they died by their own hands.”

“I believe it. They are martyring themselves for their cause. Makes you wonder why one man hasn’t done so. Why would he not show his utter devotion?”

Bellamy thinks on that a moment. “Unless he was the only one that was supposed to live,” he suggests.

Anya frowns. “To what purpose? Why make sure he stays alive but make sure the other three die?”

Bellamy lifts an eyebrow. “They all speak of this ‘Brother Thomas’ fellow. Maybe this guy is really Thomas’ brother?”

Anya considers that then nods. “Good thought.” She grins. “Let’s go test our theory.”

Bellamy nods and they go back to the surviving prisoner. They walk in and Anya gives the man a snake-like smile. He growls at her.

“I won’t tell you anything!”

“Of course not. Sadly, your co-conspirators don’t have the family connection you do. They had no problem telling us about Brother Thomas. Not to mention your relationship with him.”

The man’s face falls for a moment. Anya actually admires how quickly he tries to cover.

“I…I don’t know what you mean,” he states, though his voice lacks conviction.

“Don’t worry, when we see him, we’ll give him your regards.”

They start to walk back out.

“NO! WAIT! Don’t kill him! Please.”

Anya turns back to him. “Tell us his next move and his endgame and perhaps we’ll let him live.”

The man battles his conscience a moment, then starts to talk.

* * *

“See it?” Octavia asks as she points to her son’s foot.

Abby nods. “Let’s get a look at it. Hopefully it’s nothing but we’ll make sure.”

“Thanks, Abby.”

“Does you gotta take x-rays again, Dr. Abby?” Eragon asks.

Abby smiles at him. “I sure do.”

“Cool! I like to see the bones and stuff!”

Octavia rolls her eyes. Abby chuckles.

“This won’t take long. Did you get to eat before you left this afternoon?” Abby asks Octavia.

“Ate trail rations.”

“Well, how about you go grab an early dinner for yourself and Eragon while I tickle his toes?”

Eragon giggles. Octavia smiles and kisses him on the head.

“Good plan. Be good, Err.”

“I will be, Mama.”

* * *

Raven steps out onto the balcony of her tower room and takes a deep breath of air not tainted by the smell of burned wood. She had spent the day tearing down the doors and shutters that had been burned and replacing them with steel ones she, Monty and the smithy had created. Hands wrap around her waist from behind.

“You look tired.”

She smiles as she leans back against Miles Shaw. “I am. But a good tired. The garage is more secure now.”

“Good. So, uh, you going to move back there? Above your garage?” he asks.

Raven shrugs. “I don’t know. Kinda nice being here in the tower. Safe.” She turns in his arms. “Close to the room you were given.”

He smiles. “Not that we’ve been there in a while.”

Raven chuckles. “True. Maybe we- -what the fuck is that?”

In looking up at Shaw her eye caught sight of a green light. Then another. And another. A total of 6 in her line of sight staggered up the tower, below various window sills. Miles turns and follows her lines of sight.

“Does the tower have cameras for security?” he asks.

Raven shakes her head. “Nope. Lexa and I have discussed it but nothing so far. Come on.”

The two quickly leave her room and run up two flights of stairs. They find the window that would have overlooked the balcony and Raven leans out.

“Holy shit,” she mutters.

She carefully pulls the detonator out of the C-4, then peels off the explosive. Miles is astounded.

“Not sure ‘holy shit’ covers that.

“Right. Come on! There was one on Lexa’s balcony.”

The two race up the stairs. When they reach the Heda’s suite Henry stops them.

“WHOA! What’s going on?”

“Henry, go with Miles, he’ll explain.” She turns to Shaw. “Get out there and walk the entire base of the tower. Count the green lights.”

“Right,” he nods. “Let’s go,” he says to the guard.

Henry trusts the two enough to follow. He looks to the other suite guard. “I’ll send someone to help.”

The man nods as Raven hurries into the suite. Lexa looks at her in surprise.

“Raven? What are you- -hey!”

Raven ignores Lexa and the calls of the children and goes right out to the balcony. She leans way over, her legs dangling, and reaches towards the detonator. She jumps when hands grab her legs.

“HEY! What are you doing?”

“Fuck! Lexa, don’t scare the crap out of me when I’m leaning over the balcony!”

“Why the hell are you even hanging over the balcony?”

Raven ignores her as she carefully pulls out the detonator and removes the explosive. She stands back up and turns to the Heda.

“This is explosive. This is a detonator. It works via remote control. There are a bunch on the tower. Miles and Henry are doing a count. Get your kids the fuck out of here!”

Lexa’s eyes widen and she races back into the suite. “KORA! Get Smokey on his lead! Jasmine, help me with the children!”

Raven sets the explosive on the table and runs to help. Lexa grabs Micah, Jasmine lifts Jake, and Raven grabs Audrey. They exit as reinforcements arrive.

“TO THE BUNKER!” Lexa orders.

The Guards don’t question anything, just race down the steps as the Heda’s family piles into the elevator. Lexa looks at Raven.

“I can never repay this.”

“Already have 1000 times over, Heda. Ai swega,” Raven replies.

Once the children are secure in the bunker, Raven and Lexa run back to the Tower. They see lights disappearing as they go. When they get inside, Henry gives Lexa a stricken look.

“There were 11 in addition to the two Raven disarmed. They are being pulled as we speak,” he reports.

“Who has been in my suite other than Jasmine?”

Henry thinks a moment. “Claymore was there to fix the balcony door. He said the hinge was loose.”

Lexa growls. “The hinge was  _not_   loose. FIND HIM!” she roars.

He nods. “Sha, Heda.”

“And, Henry, I want an accounting of EVERYONE who has been in this Tower the last two days! EVERYONE!”

She is shaking with rage. Raven is pumping out calming pheromones to try to help. Lexa takes a few deep breaths and tries to calm herself. She then notices Raven’s scent on the air.

“Mochof, Raven.”

Raven nods. “Pro, Heda.”

She looks to one of her guards. “Send messengers to call the Ambassadors to an emergency meeting. Send for Diyoza, too.” The woman nods and runs off. “Come. Let’s get to the council room.”

Raven, Lexa and two guards get on the elevator. As they ascend, Raven sniffs a bit. She lifts her hand and gives it a smell. She gets the scent of the one called Claymore and one other. She slams the button to ring for the elevator to stop on the radio floor.

“Raven?” Lexa questions.

The mechanic doesn’t answer. When the doors open she bursts out and storms towards the radio room. She grabs the radio man out of his chair and slams him into the wall.

“You sorry son of a BITCH! You’d have killed EVERYONE in this Tower, not to mention who knows how many on the ground!” She pulls him away from the wall then slams him back into it again. “You stupid MOTHERFUCKER!”

“EM PLENI! Raven, what is going on?” Lexa demands.

“This bastard’s scent was on the explosive under the window. I’d lay money there is another explosive under the sill of this window.”

Lexa hurries to the window and leans out enough to see the green glow. She turns, her eyes black as night.

“Arrest him. Raven, disarm this thing.”

The man starts to laugh as the guards cuff him. “You may have found me, but you won’t find us all. Brother Thomas will protect us!” He spares a look at Raven. “Oh, and does he have something special planned for you and the others like you. Oh, yes, your deaths will be most spectacular indeed!”

Raven leaps at him but Lexa stops her. The guards drag the still laughing man from the room. Lexa looks at her guards.

“Gather all the explosives in the council room. If you recognize any scent upon them other than that of whoever removed it from the Tower, arrest that bastard. If we’re wrong, we’ll apologize later,” she orders.

“Sha, Heda.”

When they get to the council room, Lexa escorts Raven into her private office. She paces behind her desk.

“Speak true, Raven. Would all these little bits of…of clay brought down the Tower as you said?”

Raven nods. “Sha, Heda. Anyone above the fourth floor most likely would have died. On the ground…well, you can imagine…” she trails off.

Lexa is furious! Her radio man had been a plant. This means anything she and her mates reported the terrorists most likely know. But her foes are hidden in plain sight so how the fuck does she sniff them all out to protect her family, not to mention her people? She still has no answer when she hears the ambassadors start to arrive. She looks at Raven.

“Prepare to explain how these…these explosives work. Be general. I don’t want people knowing too much.”

Raven nods. “Sha, Heda.”

“And Raven, I want to ask you to man the radio until further notice. Is that okay?”

“Definitely, Heda. I want to protect my people in whatever way I can.”

Lexa smiles at the “my people” part, knowing Raven means more than just Skaikru.

“Mochof. Let’s go.”

* * *

Clarke smiles as the Ark comes into view. She is looking forward to a hot meal, a mug of rocket fuel, and a nice shower. Not necessarily in that order. She looks to Indra.

“I’ll stay in the Ark. Everyone else needs to set up camp outside the perimeter.”

Indra lifts an eyebrow. “Will the Ark be safe if it is attacked?”

“I think so. We should- -”

Her words are cut off as they hear the muffled sound of an explosion, the sound of screams, and fire erupts out of the side of the Ark. Clarke’s heart skips a beat.

“MOM!” she screams and kicks Hera into a gallop.


	5. Chapter 5

After the initial blast, Abby had managed to get to the emergency switch and seal the medical bay. She looks to Jackson, who holds a crying Eragon. From there she hurries to the woman in labor.

“Easy, Marley, you’re going to be fine.”

“But what happened?”

“I have no idea. But we’re sealed in here, we have our own source of oxygen, and the fire team will be working to make things safe before they get us out. We have food and water. We’ll be fine.” She rubs a hand over the woman’s stomach. “And so will your baby.”

Abby moves to the radio and attempts to make a call to the command center. No dice. She hangs up and goes to Jackson and smiles at a still terrified Eragon.

“Hey, big guy, we’re just fine. I bet your Mama is already helping to get us out of here. Just relax and we’ll be out soon. You’ll see.”

She kisses his head. She and Jackson exchange a look. There had been no way to test the fire suppression systems after crash down without using precious stores of the retardant. Truth is, the Med Bay is so far into the innards of the ship, if the system is in any way broken, they would not be getting out alive. Wordlessly, Abby moves away and start preparing four syringes. If it looked like death by fire or suffocation is imminent, the doctors would make sure their patients died peacefully.

* * *

“ERAGON!”

Octavia screams and races towards the Ark. Captain Miller tackles her.

“STOP! LET THE SYSTEM WORK FIRST!”

“NO! MY SON IS IN THERE! LET ME THE FUCK GO! ERAGON!”

Another guard helps hold the woman down. Monroe runs out of the door in front of them.

“SUPPRESSION IS WORKING!”

Captain Miller is shouting orders to get civilians away from the burning vessel. Yes, the suppression systems were working where they could see but what about farther in? He hears the front gates opening and turns his head to see Clarke and Indra leading a group in on horseback.

“REPORT!” Clarke yells as she leaps off her horse.

“Three or four explosions. Not sure what the hell set them off,” Miller reports.

“Natural or terrorists?” Clarke demands.

“I DON’T KNOW!” He yells in frustration.

“ERAGON!” Octavia yells.

“Oh my God,” Clarke mutters. “How many are in the Med Bay?”

Captain Miller thinks a moment. “Four as far as I know. One is a lady in labour so perhaps 5 now.”

Clarke cusses under her breath. She studies the burning ship. She spins around.

“MAX! JAYLA! NATHAN MILLER! MONROE! LINCOLN! WITH ME!” She kneels down beside a sobbing Octavia. “Access tunnels. If you can pull it together, you can come with us.”

Octavia stares into determined blue eyes. She swallows hard and nods. The captain lets her up. Clarke turns to Indra.

“Help here as best you can. Send a messenger to Polis.”

“Sha, Wanheda.”

Clarke leads her team out of the fence and around the widened perimeter to the back of the Ark. She and Monroe walk along until they find a place where there is an access tunnel ladder and no flames.

“Let’s go!”

In no time they are in the Ark. Emergency lights are flickering at best. Monroe moves to one cabinet and opens it up. She grabs out 4 flashlights. Three actually work. They group sets off at a trot, coughing in places where smoke is thicker than in others. They get to one hallway to find it red hot from flames on the other side.

“Son of a bitch.”

“HERE!” Octavia yells.

They follow her up one tunnel, across several smaller tunnels, and back down into another tunnel. In forty-five minutes they reach the outer wall of the Med Bay. The first two panels they open lead to electronics. The third leads into the operating theatre.

“MOM! MOM! WHERE ARE YOU?” Clarke screams.

“Clarke?” Abby asks in shock.

“Mom!” They embrace.

“ERR!” Octavia yells, scooping her scared son into her arms. Lincoln envelops them both.

Clarke eases out of the hug. “We need to go.”

“I can’t. Marley is in labour!”

Clarke looks to the woman who is beyond the stopping point. “Shit!” She turns to Max. “Get them all out of here. Mom and I will come with Marley and the baby as soon as we can.”

Max shakes his head. “I cannot leave you, Wanheda.”

“They will need your strength, Max.”

“As will you. I’m staying.”

Clarke looks to Miller. “Get them out of here.”

He nods. “Sha, Wanheda.”

Monroe steps forward. “I’m staying, too. I know the tunnels.”

Clarke just grunts. She looks to Octavia.

“Go.”

Octavia gives her friend a hug. “Thank you. Get your ass out, Clarke.”

“I will, Tay. Go.”

Abby is already ordering Monroe what to get to help with the delivery. She strokes Marley’s head.

“We’ll deliver this baby then get out, okay?”

“I’m scared, Dr. Griffin,” the woman whimpers.

“No need to be. Wanheda is here,” she says proudly.

Clarke tries to give the woman a confident smile but thinks it’s more a worried grimace. She looks towards the main doors and sees smoke starting to seep in.

“Max, Monroe, grab towels and sheets!”

The trio grab sheets and start to press them into the cracks around the door. Clarke then uses medical tape to seal them even tighter. She turns back to the woman in labour and sees Abby still just waiting.

“Mom? ETA?”

“Maybe five minutes? It’s up to the baby.”

“Well, ask it to hurry up, huh?” Clarke jokes, trying to break the tension.

It works. A little.

* * *

Outside the world is still chaos though a bit more controlled. Indra had ordered soldiers to guard the gate and stop anyone that tries to leave. So far no one is running. Other soldiers and the remaining Raiders are helping people of the Ark salvage supplies in case the fire spreads.

“The flames seem to be dying down,” she notes to the Captain.

He nods. “They are. But the damage could be done. If it’s weakened metal already stressed by the drop to Earth, the Ark may be done. We can’t have people living in there if it is unstable.”

Indra nods. “Your people will have homes with us for as long as needed.” She clasps his shoulder. “You do not stand alone, Miller kom Skaikru.”

He gives her a curt nod. “Mochof, Indra kom Trikru.”

Jamie walks up, her face covered in soot. “General, Captain, I’ve secured weapons in a supply shed. Permission to send the Hummer to Polis for supplies and inform Heda of the situation.”

Indra shakes her head. “Denied for the moment. Wanheda is inside. We wait until we know her fate.”

Jamie blushes and looks at the smoldering structure. “Sha, General. I didn’t think of that.”

About 20 minutes later they hear a horrible creaking sound. Miller’s eyes widen.

“RUN! GET AWAY! GET AWAY FROM THE ARK!”

Others immediately take up his warnings and run. Indra ends up beside Jamie just outside the main gates. They watch in horror as the right side of the Ark crumbles like a piece of paper and starts to fall. It breaks away from the upper portion of the ring and the metal crashes to the ground. Sparks fly, igniting small fires all around the inside and outside of the fence. Everyone works to quickly stomp those out. More metal creaks and crumbles.

In just 5 minutes the Ark, the ship that had brought those thought to be the last survivors of Earth, is a pile of smoking rubble. Indra stares at it, her jaw open in shock.

There is still no sign of Wanheda.

* * *

Anya is pacing in frustration. The captives had alluded to events already in the works; events that could not be stopped. She is antsy. She is irritable. Her mating bites are itching like crazy. When a messenger runs into the room she is using as her office, she nearly bites his head off.

“WHAT?!”

“A message from Polis, General.”

He hands off the message. She reads it, her heart leaping into her throat as she reads about the bombs placed all over the tower.

“Oh my God.”

“I was told to stress to you all are okay. Raven discovered the explosives before they could be set off, General.”

Anay nods as she drops into a chair. “Sha…sha…we owe her so much. _ **I**_   owe her so much,” she whispers.

She is just starting to recover from that when Roan walks in. With a jerk of his head he dismisses his messenger, then closes the door. Anya looks up at him.

“My Hummer is waiting for you. There’s been an incident in Arkadia.”

Anya leaps up. “What?”

“It was attacked. It has been brought down.”

Anya is staring at the man, trying to fathom what could bring that hulking mass down. She unconsciously reaches up and scratches her neck.

“General…Anya,” he says softly, “at last report, Clarke and her mother were still inside.”

Anya releases a surge of pheromones that takes the king to his knees as she screams in frustration. She grabs her things and races from the room. She has not gotten her omega back only to lose her again. NO! She will NOT lose Clarke again!

When she gets outside she finds her top soldiers, Echo and Bellamy waiting for her. She leaps into the passenger seat.

“GO!”

Bellamy throws the vehicle in gear and drives as fast as he can in the dark. If all goes well they will be in Arkadia by dawn.

Or at least what’s left of Arkadia.


	6. Chapter 6

On the road from Polis, Lexa is also pumping out a great deal of pheromones as she is being driven to Arkadia by Raven. Neither is saying much. In the back, Praxis and three other guards are doing their best to breathe normally with the crazy mixture of beta and alpha scents in the air. Behind the Rover, Rover 2 is being driven by Harper, with Monty beside her and 6 more guards in the back. All other guards have remained behind under command of Henry with the sole order to protect the bunker. Henry has ordered his own son to man the radio with two trusted guards to protect him just in case of infiltrators.

As the Rover goes around a rather sharp curve, Raven has to stand on the brakes as a tree is across the road.

“SON OF A BITCH!”

She glances into the rearview mirror in time to see Harper just barely avoid hitting her. The guards immediately jump out to move the tree. As they race to it they all stagger, then fall.

“What the hell?” Raven asks.

She and Lexa leap out. Raven pulls her pistol, then feels a prick in her neck. She slaps at it as her eyes get blurry.

“Well…fuck…”

As she starts to fall, she sees two figures step out of the woods. Or maybe it’s three. Doesn’t matter. She shoots at all 3 before she passes out. The single person that had been approaching her also falls, a bullet between the eyes. Hell of a shot!

Lexa races towards Raven and she, too, is hit with a dart. She looks around, seeing all her people attempting to fight but not being able to do much. Harper also gets off a few shots but it isn’t much help. She and Raven had taken out 2 of many. Lexa is hit again. Still she fights the poison within her. She tries to lift her sword but it is suddenly oh so very heavy. A man slowly approaches her as she goes to her knees. He smiles so serenely it is eerie.

“Hello, Lexa. By your blood you have ruled. And by your blood the people will see Brother Thomas is the only one worthy to be your successor.”

“Gonna…kill…you…”

“Oh, I don’t think so,” he says.

Stars explode behind Lexa’s eyes as she is clubbed from behind.

“Take her away. Once everyone is back in Polis, we will end her reign in front of all of them,” he tells his people as if asking them to put away groceries.

They leave the bodies of her guards and friends beside the vehicles, which they set on fire. Two less remnants of old tech for them to worry about.

* * *

Monroe leads the group to a different panel. They had felt the Ark come down. All they can do is try to escape. And pray. Electricity is gone. Air filters are gone. They  _must_   try to leave or lay down and die.

And Clarke would be damned if she was going to die. She uses a sheet to make a baby carrier and her mother helps her get the baby settled. Jackson and Abby would help Marley. Max would help Monroe blaze the trail. Clarke would be behind them all, doing her best to keep herself and the newborn alive.

The first tunnel is low to the ground. Most crawl. Clarke lays on her back and pushes herself along with her feet since the baby made it hard to use her arms when crawling. When they get to the next tunnel, the ceiling is partially caved in, forcing them to walk stooped over. For fifteen minutes they traverse tunnels either on their knees or stooped over.

Then they come to their first dead end.

“Well, fuck,” Monroe curses.

All they can do is backtrack until they find the first offshoot tunnel that doesn’t show immediate damage.

And so their escape would continue. Every time they get to a supply cabinet, they grab extra flashlights. Backtracking, climbing, crawling, stooping. But they are not giving up. They will find a way out, damn it. There is no other option!

* * *

As the sun starts to rise, Indra drops to her knee beside Octavia and Lincoln, who are cuddling their son like they may never let go.

“He is okay?”

Octavia nods. “Scared but okay. Finally sleeping,” she whispers.

“Would you like an escort back home?”

Lincoln shakes his head. “No. Not until we know about the others.”

Indra nods. “I understand. If you need anything, just ask.”

“Mochof, General.”

Lincoln kisses Octavia’s temple as they hold their son and stare at the smoking ruins.

Indra is nearly back to the gate when she hears a motor. She turns, expecting the Rovers. She frowns in confusion when she sees the Azgeda vehicle. Hair rises on the back of her neck. Lexa should have gotten here first. She heads towards the Hummer as Anya leaps out of the passenger side.

“GENERAL!”

Anya turns from the Ark and races to her old fos. “REPORT!”

“No word yet on what exactly happened. General…Anya…she’s still in there,” she finishes sadly.

Anya lets out a roar. Indra drops to her knees and bares her neck at the explosion of fury. Anya storms past her towards the Ark. Just then shouts are being heard and then cheers. She skids to a stop and turns until she sees where people are starting to run. She sprints in that direction when she hears people starting to chant Wanheda.

“Please…please…please…”

Once Anya is gone, Indra grabs two of her warriors. “Ride towards Polis. See what has delayed Heda,” she orders. The men nod and hurry off to get their horses.

Anya gets to the area people are gathered and sees Max and Monroe pulling a woman from a hole in the middle of the crumpled mass of metal. They carefully lower the woman down to people on the ground. Monroe then kneels and reaches into the hole. Max helps her stand, cradling something in her arms. Monroe lays down as two men lift up a woman to gently accept the bundle, which Anya now realizes must be a baby.

Monroe then goes back to the hole. She and Max kneel down and reach in, pulling Abby out and onto the metal. She reaches down with them and this time Jackson is pulled from the hole.

“Come on, come on, come on,” Anya mutters over and over.

The four reach in and soon Wanheda is being pulled from the wreckage. The people cheer and Anya feels her knees go weak. One by one the 5 are helped down to the ground. Anya pushes through people to the front.

“KLARK!”

Clarke spins around. Her eyes brighten. “ANYA!”

They run towards each other and hug tightly. Anya breathes deeply, ignoring the smell of smoke and metal she smells on her lover. After a moment, she brings their foreheads together.

“I thought I’d lost you again.”

“Not a chance,” Clarke promises.

Now outside, she turns and sees what remains of her home. Her eyes widen.

“Holy shit! So that’s why we had hell getting out of there!”

“CLARKE!”

Clarke turns and Octavia pulls her into a bear hug. “Thank you,” she whispers.

“No thanks needed, Tay. He’s okay?”

“He’s fine. Thank you for getting us in to save him.”

“Always, Tay.”

After a few minutes, Tay pulls away. “I have to get him home.”

“Of course. We know you’ll be there for us when we need you.”

“I will. Ai swega.”

They hug once more then Tay hurries to catch up with Lincoln. They would be going with the group heading to Trikru lands. Some were hurt in the initial bombing, some in the rescue attempts, and still more when the metal gave way. Abby and Jackson will be going with them, along with Marley and her little baby boy, which she has named Clark, much to the blonde’s embarrassment.

Anya, Clarke, Indra and Captain Miller meet at the gates. The man sighs.

“We’re still evaluating how many we can house here. Some will need to stay so we can see what we can salvage. Others may stay because this is their home. Some may leave, never wanting to return. I…I don’t know what to do,” he admits.

“Where is Chancellor Borne?” Anya asks.

Miller sighs. “From what we’ve been able to see, the council room was one of the places bombed. He and our council are presumed dead. Will be a while before the smoke clears enough for us to confirm that.”

Clarke stumbles back a step. The council all dead. Her mother had been chancellor until recently. Her friends had been on the council until recently. Her mind pictures them dead, blown to pieces like people she had seen in space. She spins and runs a few feet away and throws up. She feels her alpha’s arms grip her shoulders, smells the warm scent of her lover refreshing her nose. She stands and wipes her mouth.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

“Pro, Klark. Do you wish to go with the others to- -”

“No. Lexa should be here soon.” Clarke frowns. “Wait a second…she should have been here before you.”

Anya frowns. “Sha, she should have,” she agrees.

The two turn and approach Indra.

“Any word from Heda?” Clarke asks.

Indra looks decidedly uncomfortable. “No. I’ve sent two of my best along the path to Polis. They should meet up with her soon. Hopefully just some road debris slowed them down.”

Anya and Clarke exchange a look. They storm towards the Hummer and get in, Clarke at the wheel. Six guards barely make it into the backend before Clarke is shooting out of the area towards the road to Polis. She and Anya both claw at their necks, the bite placed by their alpha of alpha’s itching uncontrollably.

* * *

Two hours after they left the Ark, Indra’s warriors see smoke rising above the tree line. They round a bend and see a tree down, the remains of the two Polis vehicles still smoking but for the most part destroyed.

And all around them are bodies.


	7. Chapter 7

Lexa’s eyes slowly blink open. She squints a bit at the bright light and white colors. She hears sounds like the computer centers at Arkadia.

“What the fuck?” she mumbles.

As she sits up, she feels places where she’d been darted. No pain, not remnants of darts. Suddenly a woman appears in front of her. She studies her in confusion. No red dress but the face is unmistakable.

“A.L.I.E.?”

Becca smiles. “No, Lexa, that was the avatar of the computer program that I created.”

Lexa’s eyes widen. “Becca Praim Heda…”

“Yes. But Becca is fine. It’s good to finally meet you in person, so to speak.” She offers her hand. “Please, we have much to discuss and little time to do so.”

Lexa accepts the hand up and looks around at the control room. It is like Clarke had described and so much more. She notes details the omega hadn’t mentioned. She walks over to windows and looks down at Earth.

“Whoa…”

Becca smiles. “Whoa, indeed.”

Lexa turns back to her. “Why am I here? What is going on?”

“You tell me. I’m only here because you need me to be. You know this is just in your mind, right?”

Lexa chuckles. “Yes, I knew. Just hoped you knew what I was trying to figure out.” She starts to pace. “We’re up against terrorists. They want to eliminate all technology and, ironically, are using technology to do so. They have infiltrated even my own Royal Guard. How do I flush them out?”

Becca sighs. “Damn. I wish I knew. Who is leading them?”

“Someone named Brother Thomas. We’ve been interrogating some of his followers but they…they are so devoted to him they would rather die than give us anything to work with.”

“So they are as devoted to him as your followers are to you,” Becca points out.

“Hmph. I guess so.”

Lexa paces, thinking about what she knows about her closest advisors; her most loyal guards; her mates. Only her children would get her mates to break, and that has been taken care of and only a handful know how. Her most loyal guards have been with her for years. They are more family than soldiers. But the younger guards have changed in recent years, as always happens. The radio man had been with them less than a year but his eagerness to learn tech had landed him right where he wanted to be.

“Son of a bitch, they are extremely organized. How long have they been working against us?” she mumbles to herself.

As Lexa paced, Becca had worked at a computer screen. She prints something out and offers it to Lexa.

“This was a cult back in our day. Some of the…the testing my team and I were doing were targets of this group. We were trying to improve on things done for those on the old Eligius missions. We knew A.L.I.E. was out there and it was only a matter of time before she unleashed Armageddon.”

“And yet you were jettisoned from the ring,” Lexa notes.

Becca smiles. “Yes. As the nuclear explosions started. Those in the Ring were sure A.L.I.E. was in our computers. They wouldn’t listen to us. So, we were released and I used the escape pod to get to Earth with the serum that could help survivors.”

Lexa nods. “Lucky for us, in all honesty.”

“Yes. Anyway, this cult was sure that the only hope for the world was a return to the dark ages. No computers, no lights, nothing other than basic tools and equipment. We’d have to re-start to prosper.”

Lexa reads the information. “They were led by Brother Gabriel. We’re after Brother Thomas.” She looks up. “Great grandkid?”

“Probably. They had a bunker near my island. If they waited the full 100 years before coming out, they would have arrived- -”

“Just as A.L.I.E. proved old tech is deadly tech. Fucking wonderful,” Lexa grunts in understanding. She studies the information again. “Where do we find them now?”

Becca sighs. “All over, I’m afraid. But the thing you would need to find out is who is new to the clans. I know it will be hard with Skaikru and Spacekru now integrating but you  _must_   do it, Lexa.”

“We also need to protect the tech we have,” she notes.

“Not just the tech but the tech experts,” Becca warns.

Lexa nods. “Like Raven and Monty, among others. Like all of Skaikru and Spacekru and any others who have taken an interest in the tech. Healers, communications officers, even children who are intrigued by anything new.” Lexa looks up sharply. “They would need to wipe out any that might protect machines and the like. Nomonjokkers,” she growls.

“Yes, they will.”

Lexa studies the paper some more. “These people…would they have anything with A.L.I.E. in it?”

“Highly doubtful but you won’t know for sure until you get to them.” She nods towards the paper. “Take this information with you when you wake up, Lexa. This is no dream. You must protect our people. If you die, if the Nightbloods die, the Flame is lost. I know you have questioned whether it should go or not but you use it appropriately. I have no doubt your successor will as well thanks to your teaching.”

Lexa slowly nods. “I will…keep that in mind.” Things start to get fuzzy, the light dimmer. “I think I’m waking up now.”

Becca smiles. “You are. Tell Clarke I said hello.”

Lexa smiles as things fade to black. “I will,” she replies.

And then snaps awake as someone smacks her in the face. She opens her eyes to see a man dressed as a Rock Line warrior standing in front of her.

“You will  _what_ , prisoner?” he growls maliciously.

Lexa lets out a low growl. “I will kill you slowly, Fiser, you traitorous fuck,” she promises him.

He laughs. “You’d have to live to do that. And you ain’t gonna be living much longer, Lexa,” he says disrespectfully.

“FISER! Step away from her,” a voice calls out from behind the Heda.

As Fiser steps away, Lexa takes note of her situation. She is tied to a large X which sits upon a cart. Her head is pounding, most likely from whatever drug was used to incapacitate her. She tugs at her bonds but they are annoyingly tight. A man in a long white robe steps in front of her, a serene smile on his face that is not enhanced by the evil glint in his eyes.

“Heda Lexa, last of the Nightblood rulers.”

“Ha, you wish,” Lexa sneers.

“Your students, and your children which may have your infectious blood, too, are hidden in the bunker as we speak. At midnight tonight, that bunker will explode, as will the great tower of Polis.” She struggles to free herself. He chuckles. "Don’t worry, you’ll be there to see it. As soon as Polis is thrown into chaos, those on the wall, hopefully those heathens you are mated with among them, will see you die upon my mark.”

“You will not defeat us, Thomas,” she states with certainty.

He lifts his eyebrows in surprise. “So, you’ve gotten some of my disciples to talk. Intriguing. You know, I do need to thank you before we move forward.”

“For what?” she barks.

“We’d lost track of time. At some point the clocks failed. Slight radiation leakage damaged even our watches. We were guessing how much time had passed.” He chuckles then steps forward. “And then you blew up the island. Yes, I know, you were going after that woman’s lab but in doing so, you jarred our locks enough to pop them open. After a mild panic we realized life was restored to the Earth! It was time to come out and be the leaders we were meant to be!”

“Ha! The Maunon thought the same thing. You’ll find Wanheda didn’t take kindly to their way of thinking. She won’t think much of yours, either,” Lexa warns him.

He laughs. “Oh, don’t you know? Wanheda is dead. Killed when my people brought down the Ark.”

Lexa strains against her ropes. “LIAR! I would have felt her die! SHE LIVES!”

“Does she?” He turns. “Tagamon, show her.”

A man walks forward holding an electronic tablet. He hits play and Lexa sees the Ark in flames, hears the creak of metal, watches it fall. Then she hears one warrior speak.

“Wanheda…she’s still in there,” he says in shock.

“By the Spirits…by the Spirits she is gone…,” another whispers emotionally.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Lexa screams as the tablet is turned off. She glares at Brother Thomas. “You tell your people you hate technology, that it must be stopped, yet you use that tablet? What other items do you deign to use? X-ray machines? Surgical tools?” She pauses. “Remote detonators?”

His eyes narrow at that term. Could she know? No…never. No chance! He steps closer. “I use tech with you because it is all you’ve come to understand. My people don’t need it, don’t want it, and will thrive with the skills we taught the over the last 100 plus years! Tech destroyed the world once. It will not do so again!”

Before she can say any more he storms off. She lets out a low growl and pulls at her bonds once more. In her head she hears a voice from long ago.

“ _Calm yourself, Lexa! Settle your mind and your body will become the only weapon you will ever need_ ,” her fos tells her.

Lexa takes several deep breaths and forces herself to go into a meditative state. The sun is still low. She has many hours until midnight. And by then, she will not be a pawn in Brother Thomas’ plan. Oh no…he will be a pawn in hers!

* * *

Clarke slams on the brakes when she sees two warriors checking over bodies littering the ground. She leaps out.

“RAVEN!”

She races towards the body with the unmistakable leg brace. One of the warriors turns.

“They all appear alive!” he calls out.

Clarke leaps the fallen tree and drops down by her best friend. She sees Raven’s eyes blinking.

“Rae, can you move?” No response. “Okay, blink once for yes, twice for no. Got it?” Blink blink. Clarke grins. “Asshole. Do you know where Lexa is?” Blink blink. “Shit. Was anything said to you?” Blink blink. “Do you remember anything that can help once you’re recovered?” Blink blink. “Shit shit double shit fuck!” Clarke exclaims.

After confirming her spouse isn’t anywhere on the ground, Anya goes and kicks over the man Raven had shot. “He wears the brands of Azgeda!”

Max kicks over the other dead man. “He wears nothing but this…this wing symbol. I’ve never seen it before.”

Anya grabs it and growls. “I have. It was on the door of the bunker where Murphy hid out on Becca’s island. What the hell does it mean?”

Clarke walks over. “I bet there was another bunker. Maybe one we didn’t find. One that might have stayed sealed for 100 years.”

“Then why didn’t they contact us? Or…or something?”

“They either thought no one was alive or, more likely, they approached with caution,” Clarke notes. “We had no idea people were down here so we moved recklessly. If they suspected people could be alive they may have taken things slowly, even infiltrated gradually to see what they could find.” She looks to the Azgeda warrior. “If they came along after the whole A.L.I.E. situation, they may have found those lost after what had happened and brought them into their fold. They would get information in exchange for absolution and a chance to start over.”

Anya nods. “Makes sense. But why take Lexa? Why not just…” she has to suppress a growl to finish her thought, “…why not just kill her and leave her behind?”

“For the same reason Nia wanted to kill me in front of everyone: to show who really has power.”

“But that makes no sense,” Max states. “We would still have a Conclave to institute a new Heda. Just because Lexa dies doesn’t mean this jackass takes over. We won’t stand for it!”

Clarke and Anya consider that then Anya rolls her eyes. “The tower. The tower was set to explode. Think about it: that would send Polis into chaos, many would die or be injured, if he kills Lexa in front of those that remain and promises to right her wrongs, they might follow him.”

“We need to get to Polis. That’s where he’s going next,” Clarke states.

“Sha. And we need to make sure the Nightbloods are safe,” Max agrees.

“Already taken care of,” Anya tells him, but refuses to say any more.

Clarke gives her a look and lifts her eyebrow. Anya gives a curt nod. Clarke sighs in relief.

The Polis bunker is empty.

* * *

Echo’s leg jumps nervously. It is taking too long! Roan, thanks to a preset plan with Lexa, had sent a team to get the Nightbloods and Heda’s children from the bunker via a mountain escape passage. They were to drive to Tyrandow with a couple of Flamekeepers in case a Conclave is needed. One Hummer carries Echo and 7 of her guards. Behind them, an old troop transport carries 8 more guards and their charges.

“Can’t you go any faster?” she bugs the driver.

“Not in these road conditions,” he grunts back.

They are nearly to the village when a tree falls across the road in front of them. Echo tenses up.

“This is it,” she mumbles.

“What’s it?” her driver asks.

She spins and jams a dagger into his neck.

“This is where your people find they fucked with the wrong Coalition!” she sneers as he sputters out his last breath.

Warriors pour out of the woods, screaming as they race towards the vehicles. Echo shoves the driver out of the door as Bellamy stands up and starts firing from the sniper door in the roof. A moment later he drops down. Echo looks at him and sees the dart in his neck.

“FUCK!”

She blasts the horn on the Hummer 3 times, to signal retreat. But it is too late. Her people had raced out to battle their foes and were dropping like flies from the darts. She grabs Bellamy’s gun and meets his scared eyes.

“I love you,” she tells him.

She then jumps out, firing blindly to protect her men as best she can. Several fall before a flurry of darts strike her and send her to the ground. She tries to will her body to fight the poison coursing through her system but it is no use. A man walks over and grins at her.

“Thanks for the special delivery,” he leers.

Three men race for the troop transport, they throw open the back door, blow darts at the ready.

And find it is empty.  
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Julius smiles as he makes his grandchildren a place to sleep. “Fear not, little ones, your mothers will be here soon. I know they will.”

“I’m scared, Grandpa, but don’t tell my sister or brothers,” Kora says softly as she strokes Smokey’s head.

He smiles and kneels beside her. “I know you’re worried, strik gona, but trust in your mothers and in the warriors they sent with you. All will be fine. I promise. Sleep now.”

Kora lays back down and snuggles up to Smokey. Once she is asleep, Julius steps from the tent and approaches the Azgeda assassin standing with Paulo.

“Report,” the old general orders.

“All the Nightbloods have been put into simple rags. The oldest ones have their weapons concealed upon them,” Paulo tells Julius. “To anyone looking, though, they are just Outcasts like us.”

“King Roan asked us to establish a wide perimeter to give advanced warning on the off chance the ruse is discovered. We are at your command if needed, General.”

Julius nods, the weight of his sword heavy at his side. “Thank you. Let us pray we can continue to live peacefully until the threat to Polis is over.”

The assassin bows his head. “Sha, Wormana, we shall wish it so.”

The man turns and goes out to help the other 8 assassins establish places to watch over both the Outcast village as well as any places their enemy may use to attack. Julius lets out a breath he had been holding.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a real war,” he notes.

“Well, sir, let us hope it remains a long time until you are in one again,” Paulo offers, patting him on the shoulder.

Julius nods and moves to the firepit in the center of his village. He would fight to protect his people. He would kill anyone who dares threaten his grandchildren without hesitation. His mind goes through battle tactics, stances he can use with one arm, adaptations to his moves he will need to make. It had been so many years since he had fought; he was sure he’d left all those plans behind.

Perhaps there are some things old warriors never forget no matter how hard they try.


	8. Chapter 8

Clarke and Anya pace inside the war hut in the Trikru camp. They had ordered scouts out in every direction. Captain Miller walks in, his face looking like it’s aged years in the last 24 hours.

“Fire is fully out at Arkadia. Recreation and cafeteria completely fine. Jasper has a team cleaning them so meals can be served. Medical Bay has been accessed. It is fine. Sinclair and Wick have their teams working to get everything powered up again.” He pauses. “The council room was…” he has to clear his throat. “Apologies. The council room was destroyed. All were dead, most likely from the initial blast. Two teachers were killed, as were 4 children. The rest are okay. The dead were on their way to the library and were caught in the hallway during the blast.”

“Son of a bitch,” Clarke mutters. “Anything the parents need make sure they get it.”

Miller nods. “One more thing. I haven’t told her yet, but the people have asked that Abby take over as chancellor for now. I know she probably doesn’t want to but they need a leader that makes them feel safe.”

Clarke nods. “You’re right, she won’t want to but I’ll talk to her. Go and get some rest, Captain.”

He nods to both women then leaves. Anya pulls Clarke into a hug. They both can’t imagine what the parents of the children are going through.

And both pray they do not have to find out anytime soon.

“I’ll go talk to Mom,” Clarke says as she steps away. “We need to make plans to get back to Polis. There is nothing we can do here. Our scouts know to return to the city.”

Anya nods. “Sha. I’ll get everyone ready to ride. Clan armies should be mobilizing by now. If we’re right and our enemies are planning a move on Polis we should be able to squeeze them in between our armies and the city.”

“Damn right.” She gives Anya a kiss. “See you at the Hummers.”

“Klark?” Clarke turns back. “She’s alive. We’d know if she wasn’t. She’ll be okay.”

Clarke just nods and continues on out of the tent. Anya sighs and walks over to the symbol on the wall that represents the Heda.

“Do not make a liar out of me, you little shit,” she whispers affectionately.

* * *

“DAMN IT!”

Abby wipes some specimen bottles off the table and slaps her palms down in their place. She is breathing heavily in frustration.

“Is there more I can help with?” Nyko asks gently.

“No. I just don’t have the equipment here I need. All I know is it isn’t something you or I use on a regular basis. That’s not good enough! How do we know larger doses aren’t fatal? What if someone has a reaction to it? What the fuck do I do to protect people?”

“I wish I knew.”

Abby sighs. “I need to find out how soon I can get back into my labs.”

“I can answer that,” Clarke says.

Abby spins around and stares at her daughter. “Well?”

Clarke steps closer. “Med Bay is okay but power is out. Wick and Sinclair are working on it.”

“Damn it! I have to get someplace that has the right- -” A lightbulb goes off in her head. “The bunker! I need to get to Polis to the bunker! It will have the machines I need to test what’s in that sedative!”

Clarke nods. “Good idea. You can ride with the rest of us…Chancellor.”

Abby had turned to grab her notes. She spins back around, fury in her eyes. “What the hell did you just say?”

Clarke inhales and lets it out slowly. “Mom, the whole council is gone, including Borne. They were killed by the blast.” Abby leans back against the table. “The people have asked for you to take over as chancellor for now. They need you, Mom. They respect you and you make them feel safe.”

“I…I don’t have time! I have to figure out- -”

“I know!” Clarke interrupts. “I swear, I know. But people died in the Ark. Our home is in ruins. People are scared. For now, be their leader. Tell them you are going to Polis to find out what our enemies are using to hurt us so you can protect us. And once all this shit is over, we hold another election.”

Abby considers her daughters words. After a moment she gives a reluctant nod. “Okay.”

“Good. I’ll get your things together here. Find Anya and Indra, address our people, and we can go.” She pulls her mother into a hug. “You can do this, Mom. I know you can.”

Abby holds her daughter tightly, drawing strength from her. As the hug ends, she eases back and smiles.

“You’ve become an amazing leader, Clarke.”

Clarke smiles. “I learned from the best, Chancellor.”

Abby smiles, kisses her cheek, then steels herself to go speak to her people. Clarke gathers up her mom’s notes and whatever samples weren’t destroyed by the temper tantrum. Nyko smiles at her.

“Good luck, Wanheda.”

“Thanks, Nyko. Take care of my people.”

“I will, Wanheda. Ai swega.”

Clarke leaves to get things into the Hummer. She sees Lincoln carrying Raven towards the vehicles. Clarke hurries over.

“You sure as hell can’t drive in your condition. What the hell are you doing?”

Raven grunts. “Getting…stronger. Gonna…be fine…by Polis. You…need me.”

Clarke tries to come up with an argument but can’t. She then sees Monty already inside. She rolls her eyes.

“You two are something else. Not sure if that’s good or bad,” she grumbles.

Raven grins. “You…couldn’t…live without…us.”

Clarke just chuckles and nods. Lincoln gets her inside and they await the rest of the group driving to Polis.

Abby steps up onto the small platform Indra uses for announcements. She looks at those gathered, both Trikru and Skaikru. All look stricken by this series of attacks and by their missing Heda. What can she say to comfort them? To give them strength? To give them hope? She looks beyond the crowd and sees Clarke leaning against the Hummer in her black and red leathers, two red slash marks across her face. Clarke gives her a firm nod of encouragement. Abby nods and looks back to the people.

“Citizens of Arkadia and of the Coalition, I know you are scared. I know these attacks have come out of nowhere from an enemy we didn’t know existed. But now we do know they are out there. Now we are rallying. They stung us hard but we will strike back harder. Their endgame is Polis and we will be damn sure it will not fall! I return there now with General Anya and Wanheda. We will await the glorious return of our Heda and be ready to fight our foes before and after she does. They think they can scare us into submission. They think we will cower, will turn our backs on our leaders. We will  _not_   do that! We will rise up and fight them. We will carry our weapons and our hearts into this battle and SHOW THEM that they cannot tear down this peace we are enjoying. They will NOT take away from us the small advances that have improved lives, saved lives, and made better lives for us all. I vow to you, and to my Heda, that I will not rest until these bastards are brought to JUSTICE!”

She throws her arm in the air at her last word. Those around cheer, buoyed by the confidence of the woman whose clothes are still coated with the soot of her home. If she can be brave, if she can fight, so can they! As people start to cheer “HEDA!” over and over, Abby looks beyond them and sees Clarke once more. This time Wanheda is smiling proudly, her arm in the air as she shares the rallying cry with her people.

Abby steps off the platform and marches towards her daughter. People split to give her a path, patting her on the back as she goes. Once she is inside the Hummer, she lets out the breath she was holding.

“I thought I was going to be sick,” she admits.

“You were amazing, Mom. Well done!”

Clarke puts the Hummer in gear and two vehicles pull out to start the trek to Polis. A larger contingent of fighters will follow on horseback to help secure the city.

Time to figure out how to find and defeat their foes!

* * *

Brother Thomas has to stop himself from throwing the satellite phone against the wall. He forces himself to calm down.

“What do you MEAN they weren’t in the trucks?! Our man said they were being moved from the bunker via the mountain pass to some fucking place called Tyrandow! What part of that is fucked up?!”

“Uh, well, I guess the part of the Nightbloods being moved to Tyrandow,” the man answers ignorantly.

Thomas lets out a primal scream. How the hell does he keep up the ruse of a benevolent leader when all he wants to do is rip his people apart! He hears laughter and turns towards his captive.

“You’re an idiot. You think we didn’t know you had more than just the radio man?” Lexa taunts him.

He loses his battle and throws the phone. Lexa closes her eyes and turns her head as it hits her temple. It hits the ground and shatters into multiple pieces. She turns back and starts to laugh again.

“Oh, did the poor widdle baby have a tantrum and bweak his widdle phone?” she taunts him.

She had hated when her fos had used that voice and those words when she was a trainee. Looks like they make adults pissed, too. He storms towards her and grabs her by the throat. His face is a mask of fury.

“You won’t be laughing long, Lexa. Mark my words: you’ll be dead soon and I will be in charge. Mark. My. Words.”

Lexa just keeps smiling. He slams her head backwards harshly. She fights the urge to whimper when her neck is forced farther than is comfortable since there is nothing to stop it. He takes off, presumably to find another satellite phone. Lexa takes a few deep breaths then turns to her right hand. Time to keep working on loosening her bonds. She has a plan and dying is NOT part of it!

* * *

Once they arrive in Polis, Abby is escorted to the bunker to make use of its medical equipment. Clarke and Anya report to the throne room to speak with the Ambassadors and with Henry. As they enter, those gathered move to their seats to await the report, except Henry who steps out at Clarke’s nod. Anya stares at each one.

“Heda is missing, presumed captured. Our foes will not kill her right away. They will want to do as Nia wished to do with Wanheda: kill her in front of us all. We have an advantage in that they do not realize the bombs on the tower were found. As we speak, Wanheda is having the detonators put back in place. This will allow them to see the lights and assume things are going as planned.”

“But will they cause damage if set off?” Rock Line’s Irina asks immediately.

“No, Irina,” Kane answers. “They will make a bit of a bang and may leave a scorch mark but without the C-4 they will not bring down the tower,” he assures her.

Irina nods. Anya continues.

“The Nightbloods and the children of Heda Lexa have been taken from Polis. As we have not had word from their alleged escorts we can assume our foes fell for our trick and followed a caravan towards Tyrandow.”

“Where are the children?” Lance of the Podakru asks.

“Safe,” is all Anya answers. He nods at that response, knowing he will get no more. “The drug they have used is unknown to us and to Abby kom Skaikru. She is currently working on figuring out what it is and how to combat it. She is using the Polis bunker to do so.”

“Arkadia was attacked. What’s the word, General?” Kane asks, irritated he still knows nothing about his home.

Anya sighs. She turns to Clarke. Clarke steps down and approaches Kane.

“Arkadia has fallen.” He slumps down in his chair. “Best guess is they used C-4 and detonated it in several areas as close to the main systems room as they could get.” She looks down a moment then looks up again. “They also targeted the council room. Borne and all the others are dead.”

Gasps are heard throughout the room. Kane drops his head into his hands. Clarke swallows hard and continues.

“Two teachers and 4 children were also killed. The upper portion of the Ark crashed down, taking out some buildings and other areas of the ship. The Med Bay is okay just hard to access. Recreation and dining facilities are functioning. At last report, all electronics are out but Sinclair and Wick are working on them. Captain Miller is in charge of all who are there working. Our injured are being taken care of by the Trigedakru,” she says, with a bow of the head towards their ambassador who nods compassionately. “The people requested Abby step up as Chancellor for now. She has accepted the role, gave a rousing speech before we left, and will call for a vote at the first available opportunity.”

Kane slowly sits back up. He wipes at the tears on his face. “A memorial service?”

Clarke nods. “Miller will have them buried right away before…well, you know...” he nods. “Then when this is done there will be a special service to remember them all.”

“We wish our clans to participate,” Denison of the Broad Leaf states.

The other ambassadors nod in agreement. Clarke and Kane both give them thankful smiles. Before more can be said there is a strange series of knocks on the door. Clarke moves back beside the General.

“ENTER!” Anya calls out.

The doors open to admit Henry, Tank, Max and a new guard named Ranger. Anya fights her inner wolf down. Barely. Clarke, too, is fighting the animal inside.

“Gentlemen, you four are going to be integral to the defense of Polis,” Anya starts. “Henry, you are to make sure this tower is protected. Tank, take a team and guard Abby at all costs. We need to know what she figures out about those drugs. Max, I am putting you in charge of beating the ever-loving shit out of Ranger.”

Ranger’s eyes widen. “Wh- -what?”

Max turns around and grabs the shorter man, lifting him up and slamming him to the ground. Anya stomps towards the duo, pumping out pheromones at Ranger, who whimpers and turns his head.

“In case you are wondering, the information you sent back was wrong. The Nightbloods were not sent to Tyrandow.” She grabs him by the throat. “Nor were my children. Only YOU were given that information and you couldn’t wait to send the info back to Brother-fucking-Thomas.” Gustus walks in with a satellite phone in his hand. “We searched your things and found your phone. Monty explained how it works. Well, to a point. As the name would imply it needs a satellite to work. All the satellites are gone. How did you all get them to work?”

“I…I don’t know,” he whimpers. “I was just told when to use them.” Max adds to the pheromones pumping at the man. “Noooo…please stop…”

“You are a weak, pathetic excuse for a man!” Max scolds him. “Die with dignity and tell the general what she needs to know before I unleash on you like I have never done before,” he threatens.

Ranger tries in vain to dislodge Max. Gustus steps on the man’s knee with just enough pressure that Ranger knows to struggle would be to dislocate his knee.

“Portable satellites,” he finally whimpers. “There is one concealed on the old museum building here in Polis. There are others in various places from here to the pauna’s lair. Probably others, too.”

“How many?” Anya demands.

“I don’t know! I swear I don’t know!” he says, tears rolling down his cheeks. “Only the inner circle would know for sure.”

“We’ve caught two other traitors here in Polis. How many others?” Anya asks.

“There are…6 of us.” And he spills who they are. “That’s all I know.”

Clarke steps forward. “Who tried to kill Raven?”

He swallows hard. “I…I set the explosive. Three of us threw the Molotov cocktails at the building. Everything was to be destroyed and she was to be killed or at least hurt enough she couldn’t help you.”

Clarke shakes at the wave of fury that rushes over her. “You sick son of a BITCH!”

She kicks him in the head, knocking him out. Anya looks to her mate.

“Nice form, good strike.”

“Mochof,” Clarke grumbles and storms back to the throne, staring at the seat her mate should be sitting in.

Anya nods to her men. “Get that piece of shit into a cell. He’ll die when we’re finished with this hell. You men have your orders.”

Henry and Tank drag the prisoner away. Max stands and moves to stand near Clarke. Gustus takes a position beside Anya. The leaders have their lieutenants. Anya looks to the ambassadors.

“You all may stay here in the tower or return to your homes. Be it known we will take the other traitors into custody but others could be here unbeknownst to them. Be vigilant.”

The Ambassador’s nod and file out. Kane walks up to the general.

“With your permission…”

Anya nods. “Go to her.”

“Mochof, General.”

He leaves to go to the bunker to be with Abby. As he is walking out, Raven and Monty walk in. They are still moving stiffly but at least they are walking.

“Report,” Anya barks.

“There is no way to trace these,” Monty says in frustration as he shakes a satellite phone. “The only option would be to get one of those bastards to answer them and let us hear what’s going on. Problem with that is they could give the enemy a signal of some sort.”

“But if no one answers that in itself is a signal that something is wrong,” Clarke points out.

“Whisper,” Anya says.

“What?” Monty asks.

“No one sounds like themselves when they whisper. If it rings, answer in a whisper, make it seem like you can’t talk freely. Let them talk to you!”

Monty grins. “Brilliant, General.”

Anya nods. “Of course.” She looks at Raven. “The detonators?”

“All back in place,” she reports.

“Good.” She takes a deep breath. “Now…we wait.”

“Waiting fucking sucks,” Raven grunts.

Anya gives her a small grin. “Sha, Raven, it does.”

Clarke turns and walks out onto the balcony. She looks down to see people working to fortify Polis. Children, elderly and the infirm are being moved into the bunker. She wraps her arms around herself as she prays to the Spirits the secret plan for the children is working and that they are safe.

“Please, Dad, if you can hear me: watch over them. Please,” she whispers, knowing if she loses another child she will never recover from that blow.

* * *

For the moment, the youngest three of the Heda’s children are enjoying playing with the children of Julius’ village. This has kept them from complaining too much about their mother’s not being around. Kora however is scared. She is sitting with Paulo, trying not to cry.

He ruffles her hair. “It’s okay to be scared, little one.”

Kora shakes her head. “I can’t be scared. I gotta protect my brothers and sister. If I get scared they might get scared.”

He smiles. “Kora, everyone gets scared. There’s nothing wrong with that. Right now they are playing. How about we go to the old grove where we first met Clarke? It will just be you, me, and a couple guards.”

Kora looks to her siblings. “And they’ll be okay? Really?”

“Really. Everyone here will protect them. We’ll act as if they are ours. That’s why we changed their clothes.”

Kora smiles. “Oh. Good idea.” She looks down at the rags like she used to wear. “It’s been a long time since I had to dress like this.”

“I know. And I am so glad for that. Of course, thanks to you, our children don’t normally dress like this anymore. Your mothers make sure we have what we need. But we’re trying to not look like we have much to do with Polis, just in case the bad guys are watching.”

“That’s real smart. Did my Mama come up with that?”

“It was your Nomtu and your Grandfather that did.”

“Oh. They are really smart!”

He chuckles and stands. “Yes, they are. Let’s take a walk so you can be a little scared without your siblings seeing.”

She nods and takes his hand. He signals to a couple of guards that they are taking a walk. The guards fall in behind them, as does Aiden. The young Nightblood has assigned himself to watching over Kora. Marta and two other older children will watch the younger three. They will not let their Heda down!

When Kora gets to the clearing she runs to the tree where she used to hide. She giggles when she sees she can’t get under it easily anymore.

“I guess it grew some.”

Paulo chuckles. “Actually, I think it is you that has grown the last couple of years, Kora.”

“Oh. Right,” she agrees with a grin. She runs her hand over a branch. “I always felt safe in there; like no one could see me but I could see everyone.”

“And then Clarke saw you. I think that’s why I knew you were meant to go with her. No one else had penetrated your shield,” he points out.

“Yeah.” She is quiet a moment. “When she was gone I kept wishing I was back in the bush and had fallen asleep. It would be easier to wake up and miss her for a little while until I forgot the dream than miss her the whole time she was gone for real. I missed her when I was awake and asleep,” she says quietly.

Paulo steps up to her and squats down to give her a hug from behind. “I am so sorry you missed her so much but, please, please never wish she hadn’t found you. You have an amazing life now, Kora. I could never have given you what your mothers have. You are safe, you are learning so much, and you are loved more than I could have ever hoped for you.”

Kora sighs and leans back into his hug. “I don’t wish it anymore but…but I’m scared. She has to lead our people. What if she disappears again?”

He turns her and stares into her eyes. “Then know she will fight just as long and just as hard to get back to you and, while doing that, do everything she can to protect you and your siblings.”

“I don’t want her to go,” Kora sobs.

Paulo pulls her close and does his best to comfort her. Nearby the guards and Aiden watch and wish they could do more to curb the young girl’s fears.

“Please, Heda, end this soon,” Aiden breathes into the stillness.

* * *

Abby stands up from the microscope. “This makes no sense…”

“What is it?” Kane asks

Abby spins around. “Marcus.”

The two embrace. Abby had seen the pain in his eyes; knows he’s been apprised of the situation in Arkadia. When the embrace ends he kisses her and strokes her cheek.

“You’re okay? With everything?”

“Hell no I’m not okay with it but it is what it is. Today we work to defeat these bastards, tomorrow we mourn our lost souls. And then we elect someone else to be the damn chancellor,” she finishes.

Kane gives her a small smile. “You will be hard to beat.”

“Don’t even joke. Now, about this drug. These jerks are claiming they are anti-tech but this stuff is all about tech. Had to go back about 100 years to find what I’m looking for. It’s not natural like Nyko uses because it is a predecessor to what I have used. It’s synthetic!”

Kane frowns. “That doesn’t make sense. Well…then again, maybe it does. They claim to be against machines but they are using satellite phones and C-4 with detonators. Nothing natural about those two things.”

“Exactly. There’s more going on here than we know. Maybe more than the ones we caught know,” Abby suggests.

“Which could mean more firearms, explosives and other things the Grounders can’t fight as easily as Skaikru can. I need to see the General.” He gives her a hug and kiss. “Be safe. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Kane hurries out of the lab as Abby now sets about finding an antidote to the drug. Time to see what her predecessors were manufacturing 100 years ago.

* * *

Lexa looks up as a woman walks into the shed where the Heda is being contained. The woman is dressed head to toe in white. Only her eyes and hands are visible.

“Who the hell are you and what the hell are you wearing?” Lexa asks.

“I am here to prepare you for your final journey. As a virginal woman, my appearance is only to be seen by the Creator. I’m Hella, a priestess of Aseity.”

“Of what?”

“It matters not to you. You will soon be meeting our Creator. Brother Thomas has asked me to make sure you are ready. Be warned, if I do not leave within 20 minutes you will not be given a chance for salvation.”

“Poor me,” Lexa mutters, a plan already in her head.

Hella steps to the cart and places a leather bag at Lexa’s feet. The woman pulls out a small flask and pours a few drops of oil into her palm. She puts the flask down and dips her fingers into the oil pool.

“By the Creator, we adorn the sacrifice with your holiest of oils. By your divine- -”

Lexa yanks her right hand out of the ropes she had loosened and grabs Hella by the throat. She yanks the woman forward and slams her head into hers, knocking the woman out. As Hella’s legs give out, Lexa grabs the oily palm.

“Perfect,” she grins.

She quickly rubs the oil around her left wrist and pulls herself free. In moments she’s untied her legs and hopped off the cart. A quick peek outside shows her the easy part of her escape is done.

“What the hell do I do now?” she mumbles.

Her eyes turn back to the cross. Well, it  _is_   being taken to Polis. The preparations include a bag for her head and another drugged dart.

“Perfect,” she grins evilly. “Absolutely perfect.”

* * *

Clarke and Anya stare at Kane as they consider what he’s said. It makes sense that this Brother Thomas asshole would use anything he can to win this war. It also makes sense that they should expect more than just those damn darts. Their only hope against those is that Abby finds something to counteract their poison before the final showdown.

Anya steps to the map of Polis and starts to point out positions. “We’ll have the majority of our forces at the main gate. However, we will be ready at all points of entry. There will be no chance that they get inside these walls.”

“And outside?” Kane asks.

Anya grins and taps some messages. “Rock Line, Blue Cliff and Shallow Valley are already concealed in the trees. They’ll help us surround the bastards and put a stop to this nonsense, one way or another.”

“And…Lexa?”

Clarke and Anya exchange a look. “We’ll do what we can for her. But she would not want Polis to fall for her. She’d rather die than have this city, this center of the Coalition, come down.”

It is just after nightfall when a messenger runs inside the throne room. “General, Wanheda, a large force is approaching the main gates. They should be here in 20 minutes.”

Anya and Clarke exchange a look. They nod and follow the man out. Time to get their mate back…or die trying.


	9. Chapter 9

Clarke and Anya stand on the parapet right above the main gate to Polis. They see torches in the distance and hear the sounds of wagon wheels.

“What is that?” Clarke asks as the caravan finally gets into sight.

“No clue. Don’t like it,” Anya grunts.

“With you there,” Clarke agrees.

They watch as their foes close in. They see a wagon with something concealed under a large cover. Clarke swallows hard, remembering movies showing cannons, catapults and other large weapons of destruction. Is this what will destroy the walls of Polis? The wagon stops and a man dressed in flowing white clothes steps in front of it. He holds out his arms to the side, showing no weapons.

“FRIENDS! I am Brother Thomas! I am the leader of the Children of Aseity. We have not forgotten the hell brought down upon Mother Earth by weapons, by technology, by the machines that ended the world as we knew it 100 years ago. We have watched as those who took refuge in the sky returned and poisoned our lands once more with their machines. Friends, my children and I are proof you don’t need to go back to the ways that damaged the world! Tonight, I come to you to end the reign of the Nightbloods, to end their insistence on returning to rubble, to destroy those that would reawaken the metal dragons that tore us down. I come to offer you a future FREE of fear! Surrender to me and let me show you the way of Divine Simplicity.”

Anya lifts an eyebrow and shouts back to him. “You call for simplicity but so far you have used satellite phones, portable reception stations, mechanically created drugs, and who knows what else. You’re not looking for simplicity, just power.” She purposely doesn’t mention the remote detonators. She wants him to find out for himself what’s happened to those.

Her warriors cheer. Brother Thomas just keeps smiling. He steps up onto the wagon. One of his men steps forward and offers him a sword. He nods to two other men and they slowly start to pull the cover off. It reveals Lexa’s leather boots, her pants, her crimson sash, her shoulder, whisps of her hair.

Clarke starts to laugh. “Tell us, Brother Thomas, when did our Heda go blonde?”

Warriors along the parapet laugh as the man stares in confusion at the hair coming out from under the mask. He rips the hood off the woman bound to a large X to reveal a blonde woman, gagged and unmoving. He sees the fear in her eyes.

“NO! You were to prepare her! What have you done?” he hisses at her. He turns and glares back at Polis. “Fine! Your Heda may have lived but what will she return to?”

He pulls a small black box from his pocket. He holds it in the hair and hits a blinking red button. Anya and Clarke grin as they hear the snap, crackle and pops of detonators exploding.

“By the way, we found out you were planning to bring down the tower, too. You will NOT win this war!” Anya yells. “Surrender now or face the might of the Coalition!”

The man lets out a frustrated roar. He tosses down the sword that would have killed Lexa. From his robes he pulls a pistol. He looks to his people.

“DESTROY THE HEATHENS!”

He fires off a shot at Anya but misses by a mile. From the woods beside him, those in Polis hear a familiar voice.

“ATTACK!” Lexa screams.

There is a roar as Rock Line, Shallow Valley, and Blue Cliff warriors pour out of the trees to go after their foes. Clarks laughs and looks down at her waiting warriors.

“YOU HEARD YOUR HEDA! ATTACK!” she shouts.

The gates of Polis burst open and warriors of Polis, Skaikru, Azgeda and Trigedakru race out towards their foes. Most of the Children of Aseity flee immediately. It is only when his main advisors beg him to follow that Brother Thomas himself starts to follow them. As they race off towards the west, Lexa orders warriors to follow.

Then a line of explosions rip up the ground in front of them. They are forced to stop their advance and let the terrorists get away.

For now.

Clarke and Anya make their way to the front gate. They meet up with Lexa and exchange a tight hug. As it ends, Anya studies her mate.

“So, uh, is this the new Guard uniform?” she asks with a grin.

Lexa looks down at her toga-like outfit. “Hell no.” She studies her mates. “The children?”

Clarke smiles. “Safe. The plan went perfectly.”

Lexa lets out a sigh of relief. “Raven? Monty? Harper? The others with me?”

“All fine,” Anya reports. “They burned the Rovers though. Raven wants blood.”

Lexa grins and looks towards where her warriors had to stop their pursuit. “And she will have it. One day. Come: we need to arrange for trackers to follow them. We also need to return to Becca’s island. There is a bunker there that these bastards used.”

“How do you know?” Clarke asks.

“Long story. Weird, long story. Let’s go.”

As they start forward, Tank calls out to them. They turn and see he approaches with Lexa’s pauldron. He drops to a knee.

“Heda, your sash. That woman is not worthy of it,” he states.

Lexa accepts it as her warriors cheer. “Thank you, Tank.”

Clarke looks to the woman being taken down. “Take her to my mother. I assume she still has that poison inside her. She may be eager to explain exactly what it is.”

“And get Heda’s clothes back,” Anya adds. “The Spirits know she will whine for weeks if she has to break in new boots.”

Tank laughs and stands. He bows his head. “Sha, General.”

Lexa glares at her mate. “Remind me again why I keep you around?”

“Good sex,” Anya answers as Clarke just chuckles.

Lexa rolls her eyes. “Let’s go. I want a full report of all I missed.”

“Sha. And we want a report of how you pulled the switch out there,” Clarke states.

“Sha, you will get it,” Lexa promises. “Let’s get things organized first.

The triad return to the streets of Polis. The people cheer the return of their Heda. Clarke and Anya get people working on organizing meals and places for warriors to sleep even though most will remain outside the perimeter of the city.

It is time to plan an offensive against their elusive foe.

* * *

Abby looks up as a woman dressed as the Heda is brought into her lab. “What the hell?” she asks.

“This woman has been dosed with that serum you are studying,” Tank replies. “We do ask you not cut the Heda’s clothing but feel free to cut her up as much as you need for your testing.”

The woman looks terrified. She remembers all Brother Thomas has told her about these heathens. Her eyes dart all around, taking in the “evil” machines that surround her. Abby steps up and stares down into the frightened brown eyes of her living specimen.

“Do you have any idea how this shit is made?”

The woman cannot answer.

“Blink once for yes, twice for no,” Abby orders.

The woman blinks twice. Abby sighs then looks to Tank.

“Give her some dignity and step out while I strip her. I’ll give you Heda’s clothes then draw some blood. Maybe having a fresher sample will help me figure out what is going on.”

Tank nods and orders the other guards out of the room. Abby starts with the woman’s boots.

“I can see you’re terrified. I promise you: I will not hurt you. This drug is like nothing I have ever seen before but I promise if I figure out a way to counter it, I will give you the antidote. I’m not sure why you are so against technology and the machines that can assist us but I can promise you, the only things we use are those which help. X-ray and MRI Machines. Electronic microscopes. Metal detectors. Communication devices. We even have some TV’s up and running for some entertainment.” She grabs a sheet and covers the woman up to her waist once she has Lexa’s pants off. “What we don’t have, and have no plans to start on, are factories that can develop weapons of mass destruction. We have some firearms but we are not pursuing ways to make more gun powder. As it stands, once the last bullet we have is fired, the guns will be nothing but paperweights and museum pieces; memorabilia of a time gone by. We do not plan to make the same mistakes as our ancestors. Will we stumble? Yes. Will we fall again? We hope to hell not.”

She finishes stripping the woman and pulls the sheet all the way up, lifting one arm up to lay on top of the sheet. She opens the lab door and hands the clothes to Tank.

“Here you go.”

“Mochof, Chancellor.” Abby grunts at the unwanted title. “I am having Sebastian and Bella remain here with you just in case.”

Abby nods. “Mochof.”

The two guards take their place inside the doors, glaring at the patient. Abby ignores them and draws some blood. She separates the samples into various test tubes and microscope slides. She slides one sample in a device that separates and analyzes all the components of the specimen. She puts another slide under her microscope and starts to study it. What does she see? Does anything look odd? Is the blood acting strangely?

Abby gets up and moves to her patient. “Same blink responses, okay?” One blink. “Was your diet…what was…damn it I don’t know how to ask this as a yes or no question…”

As she’s trying to figure it out, her analysis ends and the machine beeps. She goes over and starts to read the results. She frowns as certain numbers don’t make sense. Too many of certain proteins. Too few of others. Some vitamins are nearly maxed out. Others barely there.

“What the hell…” She thinks a moment then walks back over to the woman. “Your food…was it all plant based when you were still living in the bunker?” Two blinks. “Are you all eating the same things now?” Two blinks. “I see.” She thinks a moment. “Are you eating the same proteins?” One blink. “Is it…animal? Like eating a steak or a bird or something?” Two blinks. “Son of a bitch,” Abby mutters.

She goes back to her machines and starts to run another series of tests. When she gets the final read out she looks like she will be sick. She walks back over to the woman.

“When you were in the bunker, do you know what happened to the bodies of those who died?” Two blinks. Abby swallows hard. “What about those that die now?” Two blinks. Abby takes a deep breath. “Does Brother Thomas talk of people giving themselves that others might live?” One blink. “That son of a bitch,” she grunts.

She goes back to the samples. She makes some adjustments to the serum she is working on. When she is done, she drops a little onto another slide for the analyzer. She pops it in and paces while she waits. When it beeps she takes the readout and slumps back against the table.

“I’ll be fucking damned,” she mutters.

She quickly makes enough to fill a syringe. She steps to the woman and gives her an injection. In less than a minute the woman gasps in a breath and is moving her arms and legs. The guards quickly move to her.

“Get her some clothes and toss her in a cell. She’ll be fine now. I need to go speak with Heda.”

The guards nod. As Abby exits the bunker, two of Wanheda’s Raiders fall into step behind her. She realizes her daughter has ordered them to be her guards. She smiles her thanks to them, though her eyes remain hard. The ride up to the throne room is silent as Abby considers what she has learned. She is immediately granted entry to the council room. She ignores the Ambassadors and goes to Lexa’s office, tapping on the door. Anya opens it a crack, then lets Abby squeeze in. Lexa is finishing up getting dressed.

“Report, Chancellor,” Lexa states.

“I have an antidote to the drug they are using. It is a hybrid. It has some natural aspects to it, some synthetic,” she starts.

“Proof the asshole doesn’t care about losing all tech,” Anya notes spitefully.

Abby nods, obviously trying to gather herself. Clarke steps to her and takes her hand.

“Mom? What else?

“There was one ingredient that I had trouble identifying…it’s human,” she chokes out.

The triad stare at her in stunned silence a moment.

“Human…like the Maunon bled our people?” Lexa asks.

“No,” Abby says, clearing her throat. “Based on the answers the prisoner gave me, I believe Brother Thomas not only used human remains to bolster this serum but that he…” she clears her throat again, “he used human remains, and is continuing to use human remains, as a dietary supplement.”

Clarke shudders. “They’re cannibals? They’re all fucking cannibals?”

Abby nods. “Sha, I believe so. Some may not even know what they are eating.”

The triad exchange a look. They had fought some sick people before but this takes the cake. Perhaps desperation in the bunker could make cannibalism understood, even condoned, to keep people alive. But now that they are free, this should be finished. There is plenty of fish and game to eat. There is no need to continue to consume humans or use them in their medicines.

“Wait a second, if they eat people, why not take those with Lexa for a late-night snack?” Anya asks.

“Perhaps they deem us as unpure,” Clarke suggests. “Truth is, we won’t know until we capture Brother Thomas or other members of his inner circle.”

Lexa nods. “Correct. General, go speak with those we captured. Use any means necessary to get the answers we need. We need troop numbers, weapons, shelters, and why they will only consume each other. We need as much information as possible to plan our attack. We will not wait for them to try again.”

Anya nods. “Sha, Heda.”

“Wanheda, send out trackers. Tell them to be careful as we know these creatures will not hesitate to set deadly traps.”

“Sha, Heda,” Clarke replies.

“Chancellor, though I am sorry to call you that,” Lexa starts, “anything you need to assist you in mass producing the antidote you will have. To put it mildly, it is disconcerting to be aware of everything but be unable to react.”

Abby nods. “I know. Something called curare is the main ingredient. In a large enough dose, it will slow the body so much it mimics death. It is a torturous way to drug someone and potentially deadly. We’re actually lucky no one had a reaction and suffocated, which is a horrible way to die.”

Lexa nods. “Sha. Dismissed.”

The three hurry out of the Heda’s office to follow her orders. Lexa steps out onto her balcony and stares out over Polis. She needs a few moments to gather herself before facing the Ambassadors. Though she had not said as much to anyone, before she had concentrated on her anger, fear had been her overwhelming emotion.

And she has never been so scared for herself in her life. It was, and still is, most unsettling.

* * *

Lexa has just finished briefing the ambassadors when Monty and Raven hurry into the council room.

“We think we know how to track them!” Raven says excitedly.

Lexa leaps up from her throne. “Explain.”

“They have satellite relays set up for their phones. If we can pinpoint where they are, we should be able to track the transmissions,” Monty says. “There was a program in the prison transport that would allow each ship to track the others. They did this with satellite relays that had been sprinkled through the galaxy. With Shaw’s help, I should be able to modify that program and do the same here on Earth using a tablet.”

“What do you need?” Lexa asks.

“We need to get on the prison ship and with yours and the council’s permission, power it up long enough to open the program, adjust it as needed, then download it,” he says.

Lexa slowly looks to her ambassadors. All but one nod. She lifts an eyebrow. “Ambassador Kane, you have an issue with this plan?”

Kane leans forward, trying to frame his question. “Yes, I do. Monty, are you sure this will work? To be honest, what guarantees do we have that the ship is stable?”

Monty nods. “We don’t have any guarantees. But what we do have is a chance to track this enemy down. Can you come up with a better idea?” he challenges.

Kane thinks a moment then shakes his head. “No. Here is my other concern, how sure are we that no other ships are out there in space looking for some sort of signal from Eligius 4? Do we really want to risk attracting them back to Earth?”

Monty stares at him a moment. There was something Clarke had done, something she had sworn them to secrecy about, that so far is known only to him and Bellamy. Lexa steps closer.

“Monty, answer the question,” she orders.

“I…wouldn’t say we want to attract them to Earth,” he stutters out. “We don’t know for sure if anyone is out there or if they are just stuck the way this ship was.”

Lexa steps closer to him. “You are concealing something, Monty. Speak true: what is it?”

He swallows hard, looking from Kane to Lexa to Raven. He looks to the ground. “I cannot say. I made a vow to Wanheda regarding…regarding a thing she did up there. I will not betray that trust without her permission.”

Lexa steps closer and pumps out enough pheromones to make him bare his neck. “Ai laik Heda. Ron ridiyo op!” she orders.

Monty whimpers. “I am sorry, Heda, I cannot.”

Lexa growls as Raven stares at Monty in shock. The Heda looks to her guard. “GET WANHEDA!”

Twenty minutes later, Clarke hurries in. She sees Monty standing to the side, fear emanating from him. Raven stands beside him, looking frustrated. The Heda looks furious, and that anger is directed at her omega!

“What’s going on?” Clarke asks.

“Ron ridiyo op, Wanheda: what did you order Monty kom Polis to conceal on the prison ship!” Lexa orders.

Clarke glances at him, then back to the Heda. “There are…many things I wish to forget up there, Heda. What does that have to do with what’s going on now?”

“Monty and Raven have figured out a way to track the satellite phones. Ambassador Kane was concerned that powering up the prison ship long enough for them to download something would attract other ships to Earth if they are still out there.” Clarke stiffens and shoots a glance at Monty. “Monty refuses to say why that should not be a concern for this mission. Why is it not?”

Clarke swallows hard and steps towards Monty. “Thank you. But you could have told this.”

“I swore I wouldn’t,” he whispers.

Clarke nods and steps back towards Heda. “Before we left we sent out a signal and even set up something to send an auto-reply if the docking station receives a signal from one of the other Eligius transports. It tells them to land in North America, near the Eastern coast, and ask for audience with the Heda; that they will be given a chance to live in peace in a world much different from the one they left. My hope was if another ship does arrive, it will come with friends, not enemies because they will know there have been changes to what they left behind.”

“Why was I not told about this?” Lexa demands.

“Because I made a choice to offer thieves, murderers and rapists a chance at a new life in our Coalition without your permission, Heda. Had it ever come to pass, I would have told you then.” She looks to Kane. “So powering up the prison transport won’t send a signal like you feared. I’ve already done it.”

Lexa starts to pace. Part of her is furious that her mate said nothing about this. Part of her understands why she did not. She turns to Monty and Raven.

“Go download your program.” She looks to Kane. “You may accompany them if you wish.”

He shakes his head. “No, I…my fears have been…dealt with. Maybe not alleviated but dealt with.”

Lexa nods. Monty and Raven leave. Clarke stares defiantly back at the glare she is getting from her mate.

“Anything else you wish to tell us, Wanheda?”

“No, Heda.”

“Anything you  _should_   tell us, Wanheda?”

Clarke grinds her teeth together. “ _No_ , Heda,” she growls.

Lexa stares at her a moment, then addresses the ambassadors. “For now you are all dismissed. Make sure your families are safe in the bunker. Let them know they can stay there for the next few days as we continue to track down this threat.”

They all get up to leave, eager to get away from the showdown they know is about to happen. Once the doors are closed Lexa storms over to Clarke.

“How could you not tell ME something so important?”

“Maybe I didn’t think you needed to know everything. I made the call since you weren’t there to do so! You got your ass off that ship. I didn’t! The minute you dragged your ass out of there you lost ANY right to say what I could or couldn’t do!” she barks back.

The two glare at each other, each angry for their own reasons. Lexa’s emotions, and pheromones, surge. Clarke fights the urge to submit. Lexa is the most powerful alpha on the planet but she has never forced her will on the omega before. Or on any omega for that matter. Clarke feels her nose start to bleed and she lets out an involuntary whimper. Lexa’s eyes widen as it hits her what she is doing.

“LEXA! HOD OP!” Anya bellows.

The battling mates had not even sensed the general entering the room. Lexa steps back as Clarke’s legs give out and she drops to her knees. Anya grabs her shoulders to steady her as she glares at their mate. Lexa looks ready to throw up as she sees the effects of what she has done.

“I…I’m so…oh, fuck…” she drops to her knees and scoots towards her mate. She reaches out to cup Clarke’s cheek, wiping away the trickle of blood with her thumb. “Oh my God, hodnes…I…I am so…oh, fuck me…”

Anya has never seen the alpha so shaken. She had suspected Lexa was not as recovered from her kidnapping as she had pretended but until now couldn’t prove anything. She starts pumping out calming pheromones for both mates, stepping so she is beside them both. She pulls their heads against her.

“Easy, my loves. We have gotten too tense, too angry. We are taking it out on each other and we need to take a deep breath and center ourselves,” she purrs.

She feels each mate wrap an arm around her legs. Clarke leans her head forward, bringing her forehead to Lexa’s. Lexa does not stop the tears that roll down her cheeks as she inhales the scent of her two lovers.

“Forgive me, Klark,” she whispers. “Please forgive me.”

“Forgiven. I baited you into that by being an ass. It’s not your fault you got off the ship and I didn’t. I swear I never, ever blamed you for that. I was just…trying to hurt you just now. I was trying to hurt you since I have no one else to hurt…no one right now to avenge my people on. I’m sorry, too.”

Anya helps them stand and leads them into Lexa’s office. She guides them to the couch and pulls them down on either side of her as she continues to calm them with her scent. She kisses them each on their foreheads.

“These last 48 hours have been hell,” the general notes. “We have things as in motion as we can get them, a messenger arrived from Rock Line with the relayed message that the kids are still okay. How about the three of us go upstairs, get a late dinner ordered, then share a bath. We need to calm ourselves so we can lead our people when called upon.”

After a few minutes, Clarke gives her a small kiss on the chin. “When the hell did you become the sensible one?”

Anya grins. “I’ve always been the sensible one.”

“Right, Fos. Right,” Lexa mocks with a smirk. She reaches around and strokes Clarke’s hair. “You are okay, hodnes?”

“Sha, I’m okay.”

“I’d have killed any alpha that did that to you. Even before we mated I would have. I still can’t believe…” her voice trails off.

Clarke turns and kisses her hand. “You are the most powerful alpha I have ever known. Had you not had some control I couldn’t have fought you even a little. Part of you was still in there protecting me, Lexa. The other part of you was remembering you should have held out for a beta.”

Both alphas chuckle as Clarke giggles.

“Ai hod yu in, Klark.”

“I love you, too, Lexa.”

Anya stands and pulls her mates up. “Come. Suite, food, bath.”

“Sounds perfect.”

The three leave the throne room. The guards sigh in relief that there is no need to arrest someone…or help hide a body!

* * *

A little while later, the triad have changed into loose fitting clothes (though their war leathers are close by) and are sitting down to a late dinner. Clarke goes to sit down but Lexa grabs her and pulls her into her lap. Clarke looks into shame-filled green eyes. She leans in and gives Lexa a kiss. When it ends, Lexa nuzzles into her omega’s neck.

“I am so sorry,” she whispers against warm skin.

“Already forgiven, Lexa. We were both in the wrong.”

Nothing more is said as they fill Lexa’s plate and take turns feeding each other. Anya just smiles and lets them do what they need to do for the moment.

After a wonderful, if quiet, meal the three move into the bathroom. Clarke takes the time to check Lexa’s wounds. She has a nasty red mark where a dart was broken off. A little squeezing and the tip comes out. Clarke cleans the wound. She also checks over Lexa’s right wrist and gently rubs in a cream on the raw wound caused by the ropes that had held her to the X frame. When she is done, Lexa helps her into the tub. She then climbs in herself and sits down, pulling the omega down between her legs. Anya smiles as she drizzles some of their favorite oils into the water and climbs in with her mates.

“So…get it out for us, Lexa. How did you pull the switch?”

Lexa sighs and grabs a sponge to start cleaning Clarke. “They sent that woman in to ‘prepare’ me to be executed. I’d already gotten my right hand free. They hadn’t expected me to be over the drug yet. There was some sort of oil she was supposed to put on me, then gag me, then put the bag over my head. My guess is so Brother Thomas could reveal my face in dramatic fashion.”

“Well, it would have been, that’s for sure. Though his head would have had a bullet in it before he could have killed you,” Clarke assures her mate.

“Good to know, hodnes.” Lexa says, kissing Clarke’s cheek. “So, I grabbed her by her robes and slammed our heads together. I used the oil to make it easier to slip my left hand free and then untied my legs. Was just going to escape but I saw how big the encampment was so I went with Plan B: swapped our clothes and just walked out of the tent after putting her up on the frame. I figured I could at least get a good distance away before she was discovered. I ran into the forces you all had stationed in the woods, borrowed a sword, and waited for the right moment to order the attack. I am sorry I could not get word to you.”

Anya strokes her foot up Lexa’s leg. “Forgiven. Truth is, those of us that could see saw the blonde hair coming out under that bag on her head. And she was taller than you. It made us grin. We knew to expect the unexpected or to order the attack if the fucker was trying to trick us. Was quite comical when he saw the blonde hair, too.”

“Sha, that was fun,” Lexa agrees. “Thought he was going to piss his pajamas when I yelled Attack.”

The triad laugh, enjoying this time together; letting the water and the steam erase the pain in their souls. Anya runs her other foot up Clarke’s leg.

“How did you end up in the Ark?”

Clarke raises an eyebrow. “Maybe I was already inside when it blew?” Lexa and Anya both grunt at that. Clarke smiles. “Didn’t think that would fly.”

She tells them about watching the Ark explode and Octavia struggling to get inside. Lexa hugs her closer as Clarke shivers.

“I couldn’t let her go in alone in case…I just knew I couldn’t let her and Lincoln find out the worst alone. They love Eragon so much and I…”

Her voice trails off as she just shakes her head. Lexa kisses her neck. Anya scoots forward and caresses her cheek. Clarke smiles.

“Thank you both. Anyway…” She finishes the story. “I plan to make sure Monroe gets a special commendation for bravery.”

“Everyone who went in there should, as should your mother and Jackson for staying with the woman while she gave birth.”

“I can agree with that. Except me! No surprising me with a damn medal again! It was my duty to go after those trapped inside,” she states.

“Sha, Wanheda did her duty. But it is Klark whom we celebrate tonight,” Anya says.

She leans in and gives Clarke a kiss. Lexa smiles as she watches the two blondes. Her hands start to rub circles over Clarke’s body. The omega moans when she feels the evidence of Lexa’s arousal under her. She breaks off the kiss and turns her head to Lexa, to accept her kiss. Anya moves closer, her hardened cock sliding up Clarke’s leg and making her moan.

“My alphas…make love to me,” she whispers against Lexa’s lips.

Lexa lifts her up and slowly brings her ass down on her hard cock. Clarke arches her back, her head falling back on the brunette’s shoulder. Anya waits a moment, then slowly penetrates her mate from the front. Clarke grabs her shoulders.

“Oh…so good. Both of you…so good,” Clarke mutters as she feels them both start to work into her.

Anya bites the mating mark she had placed as Lexa bites the one she placed. And Clarke doesn’t try to speak again. She just turns her mind over to concentrating on the sensations coursing through her body. She closes her eyes as four hands roam all over her. She knows their touch, can tell who is tweaking a nipple and who is massaging her ass. She knows their hands, knows their hearts, knows their needs. She lifts her head from Lexa’s shoulder and stares into Anya’s eyes.

The copper eyes are nearly black as the strong alpha surges back and forth. Anya studies the two women in front of her. Lexa is biting along Clarke’s shoulder as one hand cups a full breast. She moans when she feels the strong hand of her mate slide along her waist and grab her ass, pulling her even closer to her mates. Lexa lifts her head.

“Help me send her over, Anya. Help me then let me finish myself inside of you. Let me own you both tonight.”

Anya growls. She surges forward, lifting Clarke so she can fully seat herself in the younger woman. As she does so, she draws Lexa into a deep kiss. Their tongues slide against each other as their cocks play inside their omega. When Clarke reaches up and pinches both the older blonde’s nipples. Anya screams as she releases her seed into the omega. Her hips piston fast, shooting her deep inside. Clarke screams as Lexa also speeds up. The dual penetration sends her over the edge. Once Anya has emptied herself, she slips out and scoots to the other side of the tub.

Lexa carefully extracts herself from Clarke, who shudders at the sensation. She kisses Clarke deeply as she gently leans her against the wall of the tub. Green eyes are locked on copper as Lexa moves towards her other mate. She lifts up Anya’s legs, watching as the general’s semi-hard cock lays down along strong abs.

“Mine, Anya. Mine,” she growls in lust.

Anya nods, her nipples getting hard. “Sha, Lexa. Yours.”

Lexa slowly slides into Anya’s ass, watching as the woman’s eyes roll back at the sensation. Once she has finally seated herself she withdraws then drives in again. The more Anya moans and rolls her hips, the faster Lexa goes. Soon she is setting a brutal pace as Anya grips the side of the tub and makes sure to meet each thrust.

Clarke watches them both, hand going to her still tingling center to play with herself. “Damn that is so fucking hot,” she groans.

As she nears her own climax, Lexa grabs Anya and pulls her up into a kiss as she rams herself in deep and then goes into a series of spasms as she comes in her lover’s ass.

“YES! Oh, FUCK! LEXA!” Anya screams against her alpha’s neck.

When Lexa sees Anya is hard once more, she grabs the thick cock and starts to jerk it in time with her release. Soon Anya is coming once more, covering her stomach with her own seed as Lexa continues to fill her.

Behind the Heda, Clarke whimpers as her second orgasm of the night takes her over the edge.

Soon all three women are laying in the tub panting as they recover from that session. Clarke breaks the silence by chuckling.

“Care to share the joke, ai prisa?” Anya asks.

“Just thinking this isn’t exactly the best way to get clean but damn it’s a lot more fun than a regular bath.”

The alphas chuckle in agreement. Anya pulls the plug and drains the tub. As soon as it is empty, she plugs it again and Lexa turns on the water. The alphas cuddle up to their omega as the tub refills. Lexa nuzzles the younger woman.

“This time we clean. Then we go get dirty again in bed.”

Clarke giggles and gives her a kiss. “Good plan, Heda.”

“Sha, very good plan,” the general agrees.

And as the Heda had decreed, so the triad obeys. Several times over the course of the night!

* * *

* Ai laik Heda. Ron ridiyo op – I am Heda. Tell the truth!

* Hod up! – Stop!


	10. Chapter 10

In the quiet hours before the sun comes up, Clarke feels a cool breeze against her back. She rolls over and sees the door to the balcony closing. Since she is cuddled up to Anya she knows it must be Lexa. She rolls to the edge of the bed.

“Klark?”

“Lexa’s on the balcony.”

“Oh. If she jumps wake me,” Anya grumbles.

Clarke grins and slaps her ass. “Get up. You know something is bugging her.”

Anya grunts and gets up. The two pull on robes and make their way outside. Lexa is leaning on the balcony, starting down at Polis. A few vendors are pulling their carts through the streets to get ready for a day at the market. A hunting team is returning with several deer. Two more are leaving. It’s just another day in Polis.

Except it isn’t. Not for their Heda.

“Talk to us, Brat,” Anya says.

Clarke backhands her in the stomach as Lexa just lets out a grunt. They watch their leader a moment, knowing she is trying to figure out something that is bugging her. Clarke wraps her arms around her, pumping out soothing pheromones. Lexa smiles and lifts a hand to cover those locked over her waist.

“You two could have stayed in bed.”

“I tried. The omega is a brat, too,” Anya states as she drops down into a chair.

Lexa chuckles as Clarke growls at the other alpha. Lexa turns in her mate’s arms and kisses her forehead.

“I had…an interesting dream or…or something when I was drugged.” She studies Clarke’s eyes. “Tell me about where you…you met Becca and stopped A.L.I.E. Give me real details not just the brief ones you have given before.”

“Uh, okay,” Clarke replies.

She tells Lexa about the lab, the view from it, the way everything was set up. Lexa nods.

“So I was there,” she mumbles.

“There? How? When?” Anya asks, sitting forward.

“When I was drugged. She came to me clearer than she has ever been before. I actually thought it was A.L.I.E. until she corrected me.” She glances at Clarke. “She said to tell you hi.”

Clarke grins. “Something tells me that is the most lighthearted thing she said.”

“Sha, it is.” Lexa inhales and pulls away to pace. “There is another bunker at Becca’s island. It was a cult. I don’t…quite know the connection to her but it’s there. It was a Doomsday cult and they had gone under for 100 years when they knew Praim Faya was imminent.”

“So they came out just as we were dealing with the City of Light crap,” Anya concludes.

Lexa nods again. “Sha. They were already preaching anti-tech shit, even though they were counting on technology to keep them alive. But their angle was they wanted to come out of the bunker and keep the world simple, to keep at bay another nuclear apocalypse. By now they have infiltrated the clans, as we have already guessed, and are aiming to destroy not only what little we have but those who can control it.”

“So that’s why they went after Raven: to destroy the garage and kill her, too,” Clarke states, anger making her voice hard.

“Sha. And why the attack on the Ark was so devastating. They needed the Ark down to make people follow them.”

“Good fucking luck with that. The Ark will rebuild, as will all our people,” Anya growls.

Clarke nods in agreement. “So, when do we leave for that island? Time to investigate that bunker for whatever we can…” her voice trails off. “Oh my God…you think they are still using it!”

Lexa nods. “Makes sense. We thought the island was finished. My guess is the island is really a peninsula. They must know a way around that desert; a way to avoid those creatures. We can either waste time trying to find that route or drive there.”

Anya stands. “We drive. We have the transports and vehicles we need to get there, perhaps even before they finish retreating to their bunker.”

“Yes. But we need to make it seem like we’re looking in the wrong direction.” She stops pacing. “While you were in space, we found boats. Luna has most of them but we kept a couple back.”

Clarke lifts an eyebrow. “You want to send troops and trucks one way and go there via boat?”

“Sha. Problem is…”

“No boat drivers,” Anya concludes.

“No, Luna and her people have come to understand how to use them. Sinclair retrofitted those that were gas engines to solar power. But we don’t know what traps they may have set out in the water,” Lexa notes.

“So the first boat could be floating into something deadly,” Clarke notes.

“Sha. The plan is sound but…” Lexa shakes her head. “I can’t justify the risk. I can’t knowingly send someone to die. And we can’t even be sure that is the only ship that would suffer damage or loss. I know what we must do, I just don’t know how to do it,” she admits in frustration.

By now Clarke has started pacing, trying to think of anything she has heard or seen that could help. She eventually grunts and shakes her head.

“It sucks to be a leader,” she mumbles.

Anya nods in agreement. “Sha, sometimes it does, ai prisa.”

Clarke turns. “Captain Miller may have some ideas. Maybe Sinclair. Truth is, our best weapons experts either didn’t make it to Earth or have since died. The only other possibility is that there is something in one of the archives on the Ark that could help us. Unfortunately…” she shrugs.

The alphas nod in understanding. The Ark is out of commission at the moment so they can’t get to those files. As the sun rises higher, the triumvirate remain in various spots around their balcony trying desperately to figure out how to get to that bunker without alerting their enemy. Anya is the first to break the silence.

“BAH!” she grunts, throwing up her arms. “We are driving ourselves insane for something that could be wrong!”

After a few minutes, Clarke turns to Lexa in alarm. “Lexa…you need to contact Becca. Is A.L.I.E. anywhere in that bunker?”

Lexa shakes her head. “I asked her. She doubts it but we won’t know until we get in there. With satellites down we should be able to contain that thing even if it is there.”

Clarke sighs in relief. “Good. Of course this is all moot if we don’t figure out how to get to the bunker without alerting them.”

Anya sits forward in her chair, her face showing how uncomfortable her next suggestion would be. “Klark, Jaha had run of that island for a time. Perhaps he knows more about it than we do. We never really asked him about that place other than to confirm what we needed to destroy.”

Clarke bites her lip. “I hate to say it, but that’s probably a good guess. Where is he now?”

“He is with the Rock Line,” Lexa replies. She thinks a moment. “Klark, take your Raiders to see him. I don’t want this done over the radios. Anya, get with Raven and Monty. Ask them about ways to find traps in water. I will travel to Arkadia. I need to visit our people there to assure them they will be taken care of and avenged. I can then speak with Sinclair and Miller. Our foes will have time to get to the bunker. Hopefully we will find a way to seal them in there if they refuse to surrender.”

Anya and Clarke exchange a look. It is obvious they are as uneasy about splitting up as Lexa. But what else can they do? They have foes that hate tech but are adept at using it.

“Lexa, stop by Andria, too,” Clarke suggests. “It’s possible Emori or Murphy may know something that we didn’t realize was significant. Plus, Emori piloted a boat when she was grifting. She may know about dodging traps on the water.”

Lexa nods. “Good idea.” She takes a deep breath. “So, let us call for breakfast and prepare for the day. I’d like you both gone after the meetings are done. Prepare your men before we meet the ambassadors.”

“Sha, Heda,” both her mates answer.

Lexa pulls Anya up and Clarke close. “I love you both so much. Beyond that love, you don’t know how much I appreciate your leadership, your intelligence, and your strength of mind, heart and body in protecting our people. You have made me better in so many ways.”

Anya kisses both mates on the temple. “Ai hod yu in. You both make me stronger.”

Clarke smiles. “You both make me horny. I was a badass even before I met you.”

Her alphas both look at her in surprise. She starts to giggle.

“Kidding! Just wanted to break the tension.” The alphas roll their eyes. “I love you both. Thank you for seeing my strength, not just my presentation.”

“Always, hodnes. Always.”

The three share another hug then go in to get ready for what is shaping up to be a long, stressful couple of days.

* * *

To say there is a look of disgust on everyone’s face in the throne room is an understatement. Lexa, herself, is fighting not to throw up at the thought of what was coursing through her body.

“Human. Like…like people?” Kane asks.

Abby nods. “Yes. My guess is at some point they realized that instead of getting rid of bodies via incineration or some other method, they could repurpose them as food. Most likely they would have kept that information from the masses or they would have created issues with people refusing to eat and perhaps even going after the leadership.”

“How long ago would they have started this?” Denison of the Broad Lead asks.

Abby shrugs. “Hard to tell. But I would guess probably 50 years in they would have started to see issues with food production. We won’t know until we find someone who has an inside track on that info. I will say Hella, who is the daughter of Brother Thomas, had no idea she has been ingesting human remains. She is…upset to put it mildly.”

“Are you able to…get her off human remains?” Irina of the Rock Line asks.

Abby nods. “Yes. She is eating our food with no issues. I am monitoring her vital signs to make sure there are no adverse effects to the change. Keep in mind, she could be a product of not only her own consumption but also of parents who had made the move to cannibalism. Maybe even grandparents. Her whole system is geared towards that nutrition so we could see things develop the next few days.”

Clarke steps closer. “Chancellor, if she is upset about what she’s learned, is there a chance she will talk to us? Maybe even help us find her people?”

Abby thinks a moment, then shrugs. “I really don’t know.”

Lexa looks to Anya. “Go.”

Anya nods and leaves to go see the prisoner being kept in the bunker. Abby watches her leave. Normally she would have stopped the general. But her mind strays to 2 teachers and 4 students who were killed for no damn good reason. Let the general do what she must to prevent another attack on the Skaikru!

“Is there anything else we should know?” Lexa asks Abby.

“Only that I have created an antidote. In tests on a willing volunteer it did not work as fast as it did on Hella but still much faster than you said it wore off on you, Heda.”

“Good. Produce enough to send with the medics leaving with your triumvirate when this meeting ends.”

“I’ve got some going now. With your permission I’ll go start on more.”

Lexa nods. “Sha. Thank you, Chancellor, for all your help when I know your heart is hurting for your people.”

“Those bastards murdered my people. Murdered  _children_. You have my skills until they are stopped, Heda. I can mourn later,” Abby vows.

Lexa nods as the Ambassadors clap at that statement. “Mochof, Chancellor.”

“Pro, Heda.”

Abby leaves to continue working on antidotes to be sent with the warrior bands leaving soon. Lexa sits back in her throne. Everyone is silent, waiting for her next dictate. She turns to Clarke.

“Go. Now.”

Clarke nods. “Sha, Heda.”

She quickly exits to get her Raiders riding towards the Rock Line clan. They would only stop when the batteries needed to recharge. If all goes well, that means getting to their destination late tomorrow afternoon. She had wanted to leave the three vehicles for her mates since the Rovers had been destroyed but Anya had insisted she could use horses to meet with Luna nearby if they called for the boats the Flokru have at hand.

Lexa stares at each of her Ambassadors. She then nods to Praxis to shut the door.

“I have a request for all of you that will be hard for you to comply with. Please understand I do not ask without a heavy heart. We know our foes have infiltrated the clans. Most likely they claimed to be from another clan, perhaps even from Skaikru or Spacekru,” she explains, using the term that she insisted be used to describe those from the Prison Transport. Most had just wanted to call them convicts but the Heda knew that would not help these people find new lives. “These people would be overly interested in tech, quick to volunteer to use things, quick to ask questions about what each clan has. I know it could cause a lot of false accusations so this needs to be done delicately. There are many who are Grounders that are intrigued by tech and they should not be damned for that curiosity.”

“You need us to ask for our people to find those that may be spies and arrest them?” Kane asks.

Lexa sighs. “Sha, Kane, I need this to happen. However, not arrest them. Not yet. I need them put into a group being sent here to Polis. Any excuse can be given. Once here, we will question those that are suspected. I’d like messages for Azegeda, Rock Line, Glowing Forest, Plains Riders, Delphi and Lake People to leave with the Raiders. I will take the other messages myself to all but Flokru. Anya will take that one. They can be dispatched by messenger as needed along the paths Wanheda and I take. Do any of you have problems with this request?” No one answers. “Good. Please get them ready. As you know, even Polis was infiltrated on several levels. No one is above suspicion which means we have to be careful with our suspicions. We tread a fine line, my ambassadors, but I know we can do this.”

The Ambassadors all exchange looks. They are uncomfortable with this request but see that it truly will serve the greater good. Irina stands first and approaches the table containing pens, paper and messenger tubes. Kane follows her. Soon all the ambassadors are there.

Lexa sits in her throne, hoping they contain the spread of mistrust. If the wrong person is accused or if too many start judging people they don’t like, it could be the start of dissention that can bring down the Coalition.

“ _Please, Becca, let me know I am doing the right thing_ ,” Lexa thinks to herself though her face shows nothing but confidence in this order she has given.


	11. Chapter 11

“GOT IT!” Monty yells.

Raven spins from where she had been working and rips off her headphones. She watches him tune his receiver a little more then he pulls off his own headset.

“- - _be there in about 2 hours. We can then proceed to Aseity Home. Do we need to bring anything?”_

_“Only a few sacrifices for us. We need to replenish our food supply. Remember, my child, all of me for all of us. It is our pledge to each other.”_

_“Yes, Brother Thomas. I remember. We have taken those from the ground. Shall they be the sacrifice?_ ”

There is a long pause. “ _Yes. We must preserve our purity. See you tomorrow_.”

The radio falls silent. Monty and Raven exchange a look.

“Sacrifice? They are going to kill our people for their fucking beliefs?” Raven growls.

“Sounds like it. Let’s get to Lexa!”

The two grab their receivers and put their headphones back on, just in case. Monty had noted the channel he had found the signal. They would use Raven’s radio to continue scanning frequencies. When they get to the council room, they are granted immediate entry. The see Anya standing before Lexa.

“We found a signal!” Monty exclaims.

Lexa hops up. “Explain.”

He tells them what they heard and what they think it means. Lexa and Anya exchange a look. Unfortunately, they know what those sacrifices are really going to be. And both feel ill that they are too far away to stop the slaughter of their people. Lexa begins to pace.

“So Brother Thomas won’t get there until tomorrow. Good to know.” She looks at her general. “Is there any chance you can find his group? Stop them from arriving?”

Anya shakes her head. “Not at the moment. Only if someone spots them and gets word to us.”

“Jok,” Lexa grunts. “Alert Roan and our northern outpost. If they see them, they have permission to stop them with all force necessary. Try to keep Brother Thomas alive but if they can’t, so be it. Then tell the men to prepare for a full-on assault tomorrow night. I should be back by then.”

“Sha, Heda.”

Anya races out. Lexa looks at the two engineers.

“Is there a way to communicate with us in code?”

Monty shakes his head. “We would normally use Morse code but chances are they know that. Plus they have probably had time to learn Trigedasleng, too.”

Raven frowns. “What about Spanish? Or some other language? We didn’t lose all of that up there?”

“True, but they probably maintained those lessons, too,” Monty points out.

Lexa grunts as she continues to pace. She comes to a halt and sighs. “Continue monitoring them. We will have to risk our own radio transmissions to pass word between troops. When the troops go north tomorrow, one of you will be with us. Decide who it should be.”

“I’ll go,” both answer immediately.

Lexa smirks, having expected as much. Raven turns to Monty.

“Look, your mate is potentially pregnant. Stay here, Monty. Keep working on tracing signals. If…if something happens at the bunker I want your pup to have both parents. Trust me when I say it sucks to only grow up with one,” she pleads.

Monty studies her eyes and concentrates on his heart. He slowly nods. “Okay. But if you get killed up there I’m telling my pup it’s because you were a jerk who played dirty.”

Raven grins. “Cool that.” She turns to Lexa. “I’ll drive your transport.”

“No. You will stay on that receiver giving us any possible edge. Henry will be driving.”

Raven lifts an eyebrow. “Henry know that yet?”

Lexa grins. “He’s looking forward to it.”

“Okay. Bring Monroe back. She’s a hell of a driver and can handle the larger troop trucks even if things get hairy,” she suggests.

Lexa nods. “Sha. Good idea. Good work, both of you. And Monty?”

“Sha, Heda?”

Lexa smiles and pats his shoulders. “Keeping my fingers crossed for you and Harper.”

He blushes, unable to hide his smile. “Mochof, Heda. Please win this battle for my pup.”

“For yours, mine and all the Coalition children,” she vows.

* * *

Anya points to a place on the map. “According to Hella, this is where they are going and these are the most likely routes. Our plan is to leave as soon as Heda returns tomorrow and- -”

“Tomorrow? Why not tonight?” one of the Polis Guard calls out.

Anya slowly looks up, her eyes angry black at the interruption. “Do you think you have a better plan than your general and your Heda, Veers?”

The man seems to shrink as he realizes everyone is now staring at him. He slowly shakes his head.

“SPEAK!” Anya orders.

He swallows hard. “I just…thought we could…get ahead of them. Stop them before they go inside and lock themselves in. Especially if they have our people inside. We could demand their release in exchange for our own prisoners.”

Though no one speaks, Anya sees agreement in the eyes of those around her. She leans on the table as she stares at her most trusted leaders.

“Our people are most likely dead already. They will not be pawns in this game. These…these creatures we are going after are worse than the Maunon. And I saw firsthand just how terrible the Maunon were. These people…they eat each other. They sacrifice themselves for the good of others. Our people…are to be their next meals.”

The look of horror and disgust on all her guards faces is obvious. Even Raven and Monty look ill, not having heard this horrible secret about their foes. Anya lets them all dwell on that a moment then points back to the map.

“As I was saying, they will all get inside. Once they are there, Heda will offer them the chance to surrender or be sealed in forever.”

“Just like those in Mt. Weather,” Raven notes.

Anya looks to her. “Sha. Only this time Wanheda will not be pulling the switch.”

“That’s why Lexa sent her to Rock Line…she won’t be back here in time,” Raven notes.

Anya says nothing, which says everything. Raven nods her thanks for taking that decision from Clarke’s hand. Wanheda has commanded death enough already for two lifetimes. Why make her do it again?

“Get your people ready. Transports will start loading when Heda is 20 minutes from Polis. Any questions?” No one answers. “Good. Get your squads ready. Expect reinforcements from Azgeda, Trikru and Skaikru this evening. Split the guns up as needed. Dismissed.”

As her leaders leave, Raven and Monty step closer. They let her know what Lexa decided regarding the two engineers. Anya smiles at Monty.

“Let’s hope early signs are true, Monty,” she says sincerely.

“Thank you, General. I’m going back to our workroom. If you need me that’s where I will be until I know all channels have been searched.”

He takes Raven’s receiver and goes upstairs. Raven and Anya stare at each other. Raven breaks the silence first.

“Thanks for…protecting Clarke from this shit. And when she gets pissed at you two for doing this, send her to me. I’ll straighten her out,” she promises.

Anya smiles. “Mochof. We just got her back mentally, we have no wish to send her to a bad place again. Not yet, at least.”

Raven smiles. “I get it.” They stand there a moment. “I, uh, know you all talked to Abby about the…the people eating thing. Uh, so, uh, did we…I mean…”

Anya shakes her head. “Abby was appalled by her findings. If, by chance, the Ark had done the same, she didn’t know. My guess is they never did because they were getting enough vitamins from the sun and the algae. Otherwise, prisoners would not have been floated.”

Raven sighs in relief. “Thank the Spirits for that small mercy.”

“Sha. Go now and get what gear you will need packed up.”

“I will. Gonna go finish the third receiver we had started on. Then I can leave one with Monty to keep using while the other two can be tuned to the signal we’ve already found.”

“Good plan. Make sure you have your rifle, too. We can hope for the best but we need to prepare for the worst.”

Raven nods. “I’ll be ready, General.” She thinks a moment and looks around to make sure they are alone. “The kids okay?” she whispers.

Anya smiles. “Sha. Last report is they are fine, just missing their nomons.”

Raven grins. “Cool. See you soon.”

Anya nods as Raven heads out. The general walks down the hallway and steps into the Raider’s meeting room. She steps over to Clarke’s desk, smiling as she sees doodles on various pieces of paper there. She strokes a hand over a drawing of their family that sits in a frame Kora had made.

“My omega, we are protecting you and your pups to the best of our ability. I hope you know that. Ai hod yu in, ai prisa,” she whispers.

She sets the picture down and starts out of the room. She pauses as something catches her eye in another stack of papers. She slowly slips it out and reads it, her low growl starting.

“ _To whoever lives to get this,_

_By the time you get it, Wanheda and her Raiders will be dead. You had a chance to let Brother Thomas show you the way of Divine Simplicity. Instead, you have opted for war and technology. Know this: Wanheda will be the first to die and the first to be sacrificed for the good of our people. If they haven’t been already, your Heda and General will follow. Any fool that stands against us will follow in their footsteps._

_All of them, for all of us!_  
 _The Children of Aseity_ ”

Anya crumples the paper in her first and races up to the radio room, ordering a guard to get the Heda. When she arrives she shoves the radioman out of the way and tunes to Wanheda’s channel.

“Polis to Wanheda, come in Wanheda.” Pause. Nothing. “POLIS TO WANHEDA! REPORT!” Pause. Still nothing. “DAMN IT, KLARK! TALK TO ME!”

Lexa runs in, seeing how disturbed her mate is and hurries to the table. “What’s going on?”

Anya shoves the note at Lexa. “WANHEDA! COME IN!”

“ENOUGH! Damn it, Anya, I was going to the bathroom. Give me a fucking break!” Clarke responds.

Anya’s head drops in relief. She lifts the mic again. “Apologies, Wanheda.”

Lexa grabs the mic. “You have a traitor in your Raiders,” she growls. “He left a note stating you would be captured and taken to be…a sacrifice for their people.”

“Oh, hell-fucking-no!” Clarke replies back. “Who is it?”

“He only signed it by their cult name. You must find out who it is on your own and deal with them accordingly.”

“Will do. Will report to you soon. Wanheda out.”

Lexa lays the mic back down and looks to her mate. Their eyes say what their voices don’t: if there is a Raider who is a traitor, there could be more guards who are, too.

“I need to speak to my leaders again,” Anya growls.

“No. We wait for the messengers to do their job. We can’t let paranoia destroy us.”

Anya grunts, reluctantly agreeing with her Heda. The general grabs the radioman and glares at him.

“If Wanheda calls back, you send for us both before you even start your initial response to her, understood?”

The quaking man nods. “Sha, General. Sha!”

“Good.”

The two mates walk out. Lexa places her hand behind Anya’s neck and stares into her eyes.

“I was terrified she was one of the prisoners they spoke of…”

“Sha, me, too,” the general admits.

“With our heads, not our hearts, General. Even if…if that happens, with our heads, not our hearts or we are no better than them.”

Anya nods. “I will…try to remember that.”

Lexa gives her a wry smile. “Sha…so will I.”

The two bring their foreheads together, drawing strength from each other for the moment. They then split up and move on to continue their duties to protect and defend all their people, not just the omega who has their heart.

* * *

While waiting for night to fall so they can travel without being seen, Brother Thomas calls his people close for a talk.

“Brothers and sisters, we suffered a terrible setback but that is all it is. We did not live so long only to lose everything now that we are free of the prison that was our shelter. Forces are already at play to get back our darling Sister Hella before they can murder her in the name of so-called justice. Additionally, by this evening, we will have the first member of their triumvirate dead. The Heda may have gotten lucky, but Wanheda will not. She will be captured, taken to our bunker, and she will die for our freedoms.”

His people cheer this promise. He gives them a moment then continues, his speech taking on the cadence and inflections of an old-time preacher leading a revival.

“My children, I promise you, it will not take long to turn more and more of these people to our cause. We will get rid of these machines and weapons that destroyed our land once before. By the time we are done, all will understand that there is only one way that we can survive. That there is only one way to prosper. That there is only ONE WAY to LIVE! And that way is WHAT, my children?”

“ASEITY! ASEITY! ASEITY!”

As the people continue to chant, Brother Thomas smiles, waving his hands in the air as if drawing in their enthusiasm to strengthen himself.

“YES! YES, MY CHILDREN! By technology the world died. By Aseity, IT WILL RISE AGAIN!”

The people continue to chant and he continues to smile. Soon he is walking among them, allowing them to worship him, thank him, praise him, and promise to follow him until they die if needed.

And Brother Thomas plans to hold them to that last promise if by chance it looks like his overthrow of the Heda is unsuccessful.

Yeah…this guy is a freaking nutjob!


	12. Chapter 12

Tank, Gustus and Max stand close to Clarke. She winces as they pump out pheromones at her news.

“Guys…dial it back. Please,” she pleads.

They do. Gustus bows his head.

“Apologies, Wanheda.”

“Forgiven. Look, there is only one way to draw this bastard out and I need you to help. I’m going to make a broad statement of accusation against him or her. I need you to be circulating, smelling for fear. You’ll know the guilty shit when you smell them.”

“Sha. Do we capture or just kill them?” Max asks.

“Capture. We need answers. If they clam up, we’ll leave them with the Rock Line for them to deal with. So, spread out for now. Let’s do this.”

Her three most trusted Raiders step away and slowly make their way to the outer edges of the clearing where they had taken a break so batteries can recharge before nightfall. Clarke gives them a few minutes then goes and steps up on the back step of one of the troop transports.

“RAIDERS! GATHER!” She waits as her men make their way to her. She tries to make eye contact with every man and woman in front of her. Not a single one of them gives any hint that they are the mole. She is impressed. Her eyes harden as she sees her trio in position. “We have a traitor among us. One of you here wants me dead and delivered to Brother Thomas.” She watches as people start to exchange looks with those around them. All but one…who never takes her eyes from Clarke. “You made a mistake. You left a note, so sure you’d take me. You should know by now I am not that easy to destroy, nor are my Raiders that easy to outwit.”

As she had spoken, Gustus, Tank and Max had followed the scent of fear to the same woman Clarke has locked eyes with. The woman suddenly looks around, realizing that the most Raiders are looking at her. She then notices Gustus, Tank and Max closing in. She lets out a scream.

“ALL OF ME FOR ALL OF US!”

She pulls out a gun and fires, hitting Clarke right in the chest. Before the woman can fire again, she is tackled to the ground by Max and Tank. Gustus steps on her arm, breaking her wrist. He then pulls the gun from her hand.

When hit, Clarke had slammed back into the rear door of the truck. She grabs at her chest as she gasps for breath. She rips the bullet out of her Kevlar vest and drops to the ground. She walks up and stares down at the woman.

“I told you…I’m not that easy to destroy.”

One of the other Raiders tosses cuffs to Tank who cuffs the traitor, despite her howl of pain at her broken wrist being chained. He and Max drag her to her feet. Clarke steps closer.

“Callisto, you sorry sack of shit…you can tell me everything you know about the cult you are part of or we can leave you with the Rock Line clan to serve out a sentence for being a spy. Last I looked, that sentence was death by 1000 cuts,” she points out.

The cuffed blonde spits in the other blonde’s face. Her brown eyes are blazing with hatred.

“My people will come for me!”

Clarke laughs in her face. “Your people are fleeing back to their bunker on Becca Praim Heda’s Island. That’s where they will be entombed.”

A pit drops in Clarke’s stomach. It now hits her why Lexa sent her so far away. It wasn’t just about questioning Jaha. It was about not being the one to seal these people in the ground.

“ _Damn you, Lexa_ ,” Clarke thinks to herself.

Truth is…she is damn glad she won’t be part of the decision to seal the bunker or not. She’d made the decision once in her life and that was definitely more times than she ever wanted. Callisto is still spouting off about Divine Simplicity, the Children of Aseity, and the teachings of Brother Thomas.

“He is a spiritual man! A good man! He will lead us into a life filled with happiness and light without the threat of global destruction!”

Clarke steps closer. “He’s a fucking nutjob that will cause all of you to die. Wake up, Callisto! Look around you! Is life really so bad with the limited technology we have available?”

“It starts limited. What happens when someone decides to restart a nuclear reactor? What about an atomic one? What happens when one country decides to take the next step and build nukes? What then?”

“We cross that bridge when we come to it. Nuclear weapons are not a threat right now. They are all gone. Using Ark technology, we made sure of it. As to what happens 10, 20, 100 years down the road? Who the hell knows? I would hope the Heda and her successors, as well as the Ambassadorial councils will never forget the hell of Praim Faya and will advocate peace over war. All we can do is live to the best of our abilities,” Clarke tells her, hoping to maybe get through to her.

“You’re a fool, Wanheda! We are everywhere! You won’t find us all!”

“Oh, I don’t know…found you, didn’t I? And there are others already in custody in all clans. It won’t take long to deal with all of you,” Clarke boasts.

“You lie!”

“Do I? Huh…guess you won’t live long enough to find out.” She looks at Tank. “Secure her. Rock Line can try her and sentence her.”

“Sha, Wanheda.”

He and Max drag the woman away to secure her in the other vehicle. Once Callisto is out of sight, Clarke grabs her chest and lets out a loud moan.

“Holy fuck my chest hurts,” she grumbles.

Gustus chuckles. He helps her over to a spot near the fire to rest. He offers her a radio as another Raider offers her a mug of beer, and yet another gives her a plate of food.

“Mochof, Raiders. Mochof.” She takes a long drink then keys the radio. “Wanheda to Polis. Get me Heda.”

* * *

Anya watches as the last of Lexa’s caravan disappears in the distance. She grunts at the gate guards, who close the entrance to Polis and seal it. As Anya starts back towards the tower she can’t help but think how lonely it will feel that night. No mates, no children, no one to help her pass the time.

“I can’t believe I will even miss Raven,” she grumbles.

She returns to her planning room to make sure supplies are ready for the advance against the bunker. As she walks in, a messenger runs to her.

“GENERAL! Wanheda is on the radio!”

Anya skips the elevator and races to the stairs, taking them two at a time all the way up to the radio floor. She hurries in and grabs the mic.

“KLARK!”

“Hey, Anya, all is good here. It was Callisto. Bitch had a gun. Not one of Skaikru’s so we now know they have guns in that damn bunker.”

“Jok,” Anya mutters to herself.

“She won’t talk. I’m giving her to Rock Line to try for treason and carry out the sentence.”

“Good idea. No need to transport her back here. The take down went easily?”

“Uhhh, define easily…”

“No injuries?”

“Gustus broke her wrist to get the gun away from her. Other than that she is fine.”

Anya lifts an eyebrow. “So, she never got a shot off?”

“Damn you…” Clarke grumbles. “Can’t let shit go can you? She got off one. I was wearing my Kevlar. Hurts like fuck but I’m fine.”

Anya breathes a sigh of relief. “Good. Lexa has left for the Broad Leaf. If they really are holed up down that way she will find them.”

Clarke grins, loving the misinformation they are spreading just in case. “Good. We should be heading out in about 15 minutes. Let me get my meal. We won’t stop again until we reach Rock Line.”

“Sounds good. Ai hod yu in.”

“Love you, too.”

Clarke signs off and hands the radio back to Gustus. He grins.

“Broad Lead?”

Clarke chuckles. “In case anyone is listening in. Expect to hear a lot of bullshit the next few days sprinkled with the truth. I have a feeling only some of Brother Thomas’ followers know how much he is relying on tech to gain power. Some might truly believe tech is bad but he sure as hell isn’t one of them.” She nods towards the truck holding the prisoner. “Neither are those tasked with carrying out his infiltration tactics. They are simply setting him up to take over and then planning to reap the rewards. If they were truly anti-tech, they would have bombed the med bay and command center of the Ark,” she points out.

Gustus nods and sits down beside her. “Good point. I would just like to point out, I realized as you talked to her why they sent you away. It was because of the Maunon.” Clarke nods as she eats her stew. “Tank and I did not know that. But the truth is, Jaha could have info we can use. There is more to this trip than them protecting you, you know that, right?”

Clarke grins. “I know. Actually, kicking myself that I didn’t see that sooner.” She shrugs. “Maybe I didn’t want to see it.”

“Sha, I can believe that.” He stands. “Well, eat up. The batteries are nearly fully charged. We can leave soon.”

“Good. Make sure the prisoner is as comfortable as she can be. Set her wrist so she doesn’t whine the whole trip.”

Gustus chuckles and goes to see to Callisto. Clarke continues to eat and drink, wondering how soon this shit will be over so she can just spend time with her mates and her children. She misses the six of them so much it hurts.

Or maybe that’s just the bruise from the bullet impact.

* * *

Lexa is silent as she stares out the window. Anyone looking at her from behind would only see the stoic leader they know and follow without hesitation. But for Raven, who is right behind her, she sees the Heda toying with the bracelet Kora had made for each of her mothers. She takes off her headphones and scoots closer.

“So, a horse walks into a bar. Bartender asks, ‘Why the long face?’ Get it?”

Lexa considers these words then slowly turns and glares at Raven. “Get what? What you said makes no sense.”

“True. Just a silly joke. But it got you to stop worrying about what you can’t control for a couple of minutes,” the beta points out.

Lexa studies the woman a moment, then chuckles. “Sha, it did. I have to admit, I am angry. There are traitors in our midst; traitors who have reaped the benefits of this Coalition yet are willing to destroy it. How can they not see life is better now? We have food, clothes, trade between clans, and just enough technology to make our lives a little better. Why can’t that be enough?”

Raven shrugs. “I don’t get it either. What I do know is this isn’t really about making the world a better place. This is about a guy who wants things his way or nothing at all. This guy is Charles Pike and Chipped Jaha all over again. And you dealt with them pretty damn well. You and your mates will see us through this too, Heda. We know you will.”

“Mochof, Raven. I appreciate those kind words.”

Raven nods and slips her headset back on. Lexa takes a deep breath to center herself. They are nearing the spot where the Rovers were attacked. Would their enemy dare try to attack again? If all goes well, they are focusing on the road to Broad Lead, not Arkadia. But who knows where the next traitor lies?

Just as they near the area where the ground is scorched from the burning of the Rovers, Raven sits up.

“STOP!”

Henry slams on the brakes and everyone turns to the tech. She is busily manipulating the knobs on the receiver in her lap. She looks towards the back of the vehicle.

“Let me out. Now!”

Jana hops out and two guards help Raven get down to the ground with her equipment. Lexa gets out after ordering Henry to remain at the wheel. She watches as Raven slowly starts to circle the two vehicles. Once back to center, she turns south and starts to walk into the woods. She changes direction a couple time then stops and looks up into the trees.

“HELL YEAH!”

Lexa hurries to her and stares upwards. “What is that?”

“That, Heda, is a satellite receiver. The static started to lessen so I knew we had to be near one. When it was nearly gone I had you stop and then just followed the static until it was gone,” she explains.

Lexa smiles and pats her on the shoulder. “Well done.” She looks to one of her most agile guards. “Morgan, get it out of the tree. Do not damage it if possible so Raven and Sinclair can study it when we arrive in Arkadia.”

The man nods. “Sha, Heda.”

Almost as if he was raised by squirrels, he scrambles up into the tree. Once he sees how to remove it, he calls down.

“I’ll need a bag or something.”

Jana empties a supply bag and tosses it up to him. A few minutes later he is coming down, the receiver on his back. Raven chuckles.

“Like Grounder Santa Claus!” she jokes.

Lexa chuckles. “I actually understand that, Raven.”

Raven just smiles at the woman. Lexa gives everyone a quick bathroom break and then they are back on the road. About an hour later they are just 15 minutes from Arkadia when Lexa turns and stares at Raven. Raven slips off her headphones.

“Yes, Heda?”

“Because the horse had a long face…that is why that joke was silly. It wasn’t long as if sad, just long because it is what it is,” she states.

Raven busts out laughing. “Yes! Oh, my young Padawan, I feel like you may be ready for your Jedi training!”

Lexa grins at her. “And just like that you’re incomprehensible again.”

Raven grins. “Right on!”

Lexa rolls her eyes and goes back to staring forward as Raven continues to listen in case another receiver is along their path.

* * *

As the trucks clear the trees, those from Polis get their first look at the new silhouette of the Ark. Raven shakes her head.

“Damn. I can’t believe half of it is just…gone,” she whispers.

Lexa nods. “Sha. It is amazing so few were killed. Will the other half be of use?”

Raven shrugs. “Depends on the metal fatigue. My guess is most of it is done and will just need to be cut off before it falls.”

Her voice chokes up at the last word. Beside her, one of the guards pats her shoulder consolingly. No one likes to see their home destroyed even if it is their home no more. When the vehicles reach the gate, Heda looks to Jana.

“Get camp set up. We won’t overtax them by staying inside.”

Jana nods. “Sha, Heda.”

Lexa gets out and walks up to the opening gate. She is not surprised to see extra guards, some from the Trigedakru and some from Shallow Valley. She nods to Captain Miller.

“Captain Miller, good to see you again.”

“You, too, Heda. Thank you for the assistance you sent to us from the other clans. It is very much appreciated.”

She nods her head. “It was my pleasure and their honour to help.” She looks up at the metal reaching into the sky. “How much more will you lose?”

Miller points. “See the red line?” Lexa nods. “Anything above that is coming down. Right now there are teams salvaging what they can. We’ll then use the metal to build more homes and even offices outside the main Ark.”

Lexa sighs. “So much work. Just know, you need only ask for any assistance the other clans and Polis can give you.”

Miller smiles. “We know. So, can I guess you are here to see what we know about our foes?”

Lexa nods. “We have some new information and I am hoping I can have someone help me go through your files to see if we can glean anything new. Additionally, I simply wanted to check on Skaikru and make sure no one thinks they are forgotten and won’t be avenged.”

Miller nods. “Mochof, Heda. Come, I’ll take you to Sinclair. He can get one of his techs on the system for you.”

Lexa, Henry and 2 more guards follow Miller into the Ark.

Raven had made her way to her shop. She is nearly there when she sees it. Or what’s left of it, at least. Her footsteps slow as she approaches the wreckage that had crushed her shop. Tears spring into her eyes as she thinks of mementos that are most likely lost now forever. She sets her bag down and slowly walks around the whole thing, trying to see if there is anywhere she can go to get into her home.

“I’m sorry, Raven.”

Raven turns to see her former lover Wick standing just a few feet away. She turns back to the rubble.

“Is…was anything saved?” she chokes out.

Wick shakes his head. “I’m sorry but no. We’ve been concentrating on getting the Ark more functionable. I’m sorry,” he repeats.

Raven finishes the circuit and sees there is no way to get in; no rubble shaken free enough to give her any hope of finding anything. She swipes at the tears in her eyes.

“Serves me right, I guess. Shouldn’t have left shit behind I wanted. I had a place in Polis and…” And then things really hit her. “Of course, that got fucked, too, so maybe I’m just not meant to have anything.”

She tries to bite back a sob but fails. Wick steps to her and pulls her into a hug, purring and pumping out calming pheromones. She tries to pull away.

“Hey, Rae, this isn’t about us. This is just me comforting a friend. We’ve both moved on romantically. Let me help you now, okay?”

Raven just nods and lets him hold her. One thing about Wick, he had great arms and gave amazing hugs. After a few minutes he kisses the side of her head.

“I swear when we cut that shit up and move it I will personally go through your hut and find your stuff if you can’t be here,” he vows.

Raven nods. “Yeah…okay. Thank you.” She leans back. “I’m sorry about us and the way I ended things. You scared the shit out of me, you know?”

He smiles. “I get it. You scared me, too. I understand now we really weren’t meant to be. But I have missed our friendship. Think we can get that back?”

Raven smiles and nods. “Yeah, I think we can.” They stare at each other a moment, then she takes a big breath and steps away from him. “So, uh, I have this receiver over here. I need to figure out how to find more of them. I’ve got the frequency I found it with but we need a better way to track them.”

Wick smiles and grabs the bag from the ground. “Then let’s go see what we can find.”

Raven nods and follows him to the workshop he has set up in the aftermath of the fire. Time to get to work!

* * *

Julius creeps up on the man staring down at the Outcast encampment. A couple of sniffs of the aroma in the air confirms this is one of the people his daughter had warned them about. He lets out a series of clicks with his tongue. To most it would sound like the strange bugs in the Dead Zone.

For his followers, it is specific instructions on what to do with this man. He watches as two men close in from either side. Still the man does not react, his attention not wavering. The men get closer. One stops, frowning in confusion and giving a sniff.

Julius frowns. “What’s going on,” he mumbles.

The second man has now stopped. The first man stands up and hurries to their quarry and grabs him. The man just flops over.

“Son of a bitch…he’s dead!”

Julius and the others in this group hurry to the scene. “Report,” he orders, sounding so much like his daughter.

“He’s dead, sir. From the smell of him, for a couple of days.”

“Which is why he was put where we wouldn’t get a good whiff of him. BACK TO CAMP!”

The group runs from where they are on a ledge overlooking their home. When they arrive, Julius looks at Paulo.

“Where are the children?”

Paulo nods towards the firepit. “The three youngest are there, sir. Kora had to go to the bathroom so Shayla took her.”

“How long ago?”

Paulo frowns. “Uh, now that you mention it, it  _has_   been a little while now,” he concedes.

Julius, Paulo and the others race towards the outhouses that are situated (for obvious reasons) well outside the circle of the camp. Julius growls when he sees the torches near them have been extinguished. Paulo opens the first door. Nothing. He opens the second. Also empty. He opens the third.

Shayla’s body is propped on the seat, her throat cut from ear to ear.

“NOOOOOOOO!” Julius screams. He grabs Paulo. “Get to the radio! Send word to Polis and Azgeda! NOW!”

“Sha, General.”

Julius grabs his best tracker. “Find their trail!”

“Yes, sir.”

The man starts out. Julius blows a horn that tells everyone to be on high alert. He blows a second which calls his best warriors to his side. He’ll be damned if he lets anyone take his granddaughter without a fight!

* * *

Several miles away, Kora is bound and gagged, riding in front of someone on a horse. The man smiles down at her. She is crying and scared. He hugs her close and comforts her.

“There, there, little one. No need to cry. You’re going to help bring about a new world of Divine Simplicity. Once your mothers are dead everything will be fine. And you’ll be a special sacrifice for our leader. Yes, little one, be brave: you will be a special prize indeed.”

Well…he tried to comfort her. He sucks at it.

Kora, is scared but, being the daughter of the Heda, she also vows to get away from this bastard and use a few moves Anya had taught her to make sure he never has children!


	13. Chapter 13

Clarke smiles and extends her hand. “Good to see you again, General.”

Tarmian smiles at her. “I finally get you to visit and it is on the brink of war,” he notes.

Clarke shrugs. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. You have more forces on the move already?”

“Sha. They are going to stay near Polis unless directed otherwise,” he replies.

“Good.” She looks beyond him to see a group approaching. She bows her head in respect. “Chief Garcia, it is good to see you again.”

The chief of the clan bows his head in respect, too. “As it is good to see you, Wanheda. I take it your journey was uneventful?”

“Yes, Chief. Well, except for one thing.” She looks over her shoulder and nods before turning back. “We have a traitor in custody. She claimed to be from the Delphi clan but we have since confirmed she is one of those from the bunker.”

He stiffens and Tarmian lets out a low growl. “If she was able to penetrate the Raiders they are quite a threat indeed.”

Clarke nods. “Sha. We also found 2 in the Guard,” she says, lying about the actual number for the moment. She offers over the message scrolls. “You’ll find Heda’s directive regarding these traitors in here. She would also like these others sent out via your most trusted messengers.”

“Meaning ones we know for a fact were born here,” he understands.

“Sadly, yes. We need to make sure this doesn’t lead to someone being unfairly accused or convicted but we need to do our best to find these infiltrators or they could bring down the Coalition.”

Garcia orders his aide to get the messages on the road as he reads the message directed at him. He nods as he finishes.

“As the Heda requests, so will we obey. As to this prisoner behind you?”

Clarke turns and glares at Callisto. “Callisto, I am turning you over to Boudalankru. On behalf of the Coalition, they will try you for treason and sentence you accordingly if convicted. Do you have anything to say on your behalf?”

Callisto smirks. “Yep. Hope they forget to make sure no infiltrators are on the jury so we can meet again.”

Clarke grunts at her. “Right. Don’t hold your breath on that one.” She nods to Gustus. “Help escort her to a cell.”

Gustus nods and pushes the prisoner to follow the two Rock Line guards to their jail. Clarke looks back to Garcia.

“So, now that she’s dealt with, has the other prisoner been brought here for me?”

He nods. “Sha, Wanheda. If I may say, he has performed his duties as directed and given us no problems. In his down time, he has taken to teaching the children chess.”

Clarke can’t help but smile. For a moment she remembers being a young child on the Ark getting coached by Jaha as she played against Wells. Things had been so simple back then…

She shakes herself out of her memories. “So, where can I speak to him?”

“This way, Wanheda,” Tarmian replies, leading her towards a hut with three guards on each side.

Clarke chuckles. “He is doing well and yet you have 12 guards on him.”

“Well, if he was acting up it would be 12 per side,” the general points out.

Clarke chuckles. She tells her Raiders to get their gear taken care of and has Tank accompany her into the hut. It’s not that she doesn’t trust Jaha, she just wants to remind him who is in charge here. As they walk in, the man in question stands from the small table. He bows his head respectfully.

“Clarke, good to see you again,” he says.

“You will address her as Wanheda,” Tank growls.

Jaha bows again. “My apologies. Of course. Good to see you, Wanheda.”

Clarke nods. “You look well, Thelonius.”

She sees the twitch in his eye at her familiarity. Yep, the egomaniac was still in there somewhere. He fights it down.

“Thank you. I take it this isn’t a visit for old times’ sake?”

“You’re correct. Please, sit,” Clarke offers. She remains standing when he sits down. She sees the twitch again. “What do you know about the Children of Aseity?”

Jaha thinks a moment. “They were a cult before Armageddon. Word had it a bunch of them holed up in a bunker somewhere on the east coast but no one knows where. Can I assume some lived?”

“They did.” She doesn’t elaborate. “You say there were considered a cult even before Praim Faya. What made people say that?”

Jaha has to think hard. All chancellors had to learn about potential allies and potential enemies once the Ark returned to Earth. He glances at her.

“May I pace?” he asks, sliding his eyes towards Tank.

Clarke nods, knowing the man really did pace a lot while thinking back before he lost his mind. Jaha stands and start to piece together what he can remember.

“They believed that machines would bring about the end of the world. They were right, obviously. Their goal was to live peaceful, self-sustaining lives before and after the fall.” He stops pacing and shakes his head. “Honestly, I figured they died in the bunker since they didn’t want to use any sort of machines to maintain life. They were considered a terrorist risk, not actual terrorists just risks, because they did stockpile weapons. Their explanation was to protect themselves from those that might steal from them. They were never out to overthrow the government or to convert people through coercion. They were just…different and different meant the government wanted to keep an eye on them.”

“Well, they survived. And the government may have seen more than it let on. They are a full-grown terrorist organization. They have infiltrated the clans, not to mention the Royal Guard and my own Raiders. From what we know, they came out of the bunker around the time YOU set A.L.I.E. loose on this world.”

“Ah. Exceptionally bad timing,” he notes.

“To say the least,” Clarke agrees. “What can you tell me about their leadership?”

“Honestly? Not much. They weren’t considered a risk so I didn’t worry if they lived. Plus, since they didn’t like tech, I just assumed they were all long dead.”

“Did you ever visit their bunker?”

She studies his face as she asks this question. The confusion is obvious.

“When would I have done that?”

“Their bunker was on Becca’s peninsula. You were there, Jaha, with Murphy. Did you go to their bunker? Did you attempt to contact them?”

He shakes his head. “No. And…and I don’t think Becca knew it was there, either. She never mentioned it to me.”

Clarke grunts. “Becca knew. A.L.I.E. didn’t.”

This is a wrench. Becca didn’t put it into her computer about the bunker but it is obvious the first Heda knew it was there based on Lexa’s experience.

“Can you think of anything else about that group that we should know? Anything, even the smallest thing, could help,” Clarke asks.

Jaha studies her a moment, then grins. “I believe this is check, Clarke.”

Clarke frowns. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m thinking this group has you guys at check. If I help, maybe you strike back. If I don’t, maybe they get you at checkmate.” He shrugs smugly. “So…what is in it for me?”

Clarke throws out her hand automatically to stop the advance by Tank. She stares at the man in front of her. Gone is the amiable old chancellor routine. Now she sees the shark swimming just below the surface, waiting for the seal to dive off the rock into the water.

Clarke is no seal.

“You get to continue to live and serve your sentence for the hell you caused with your arrogance, Jaha. That should be enough,” she growls.

He laughs. “Oh, Clarke, you are not the politician your mother is. What I want is- -”

Clarke leaps past the table and grabs him, shoving him against the wall. Before he can recover her dagger is at his throat.

“I am Wanheda to you. You betrayed our clan, you betrayed this Coalition, and you betrayed my Heda. As Wanheda, I have the power to exact revenge on her behalf. So, tell me what you know or you burn on a pyre tonight,” she growls.

Jaha’s eyes are wide with fright. The eyes he stares into are not the crystal blue of the young feisty girl he had known. No…before him is a woman, a warrior, a leader. And he has no doubt she would cut his throat with no remorse.

“I will not wait all day,” Clarke warns him.

Jaha swallows hard, feeling the steel caress his neck. “The U.S. Government knew they had a bunker. The plans for it are in the Ark computers. It shows all entrances and all ventilation ports.”

“How many did the bunker hold?”

“If I remember right, it was set up to keep 1000 people alive,” he answers.

Clarke steps back. For good measure, she shoves him once more into the wall. “Your assistance was appreciated.”

She turns and starts for the door.

“Wait! Clarke, please…”

Clarke mutters something under her breath as she turns. “What?”

He steps closer. “Please…can’t you help me? Can’t you do…something?”

This is the man she expected. The broken man; the man who’d had everything and lost it. The man who expected to be a hero and instead is a convict.

“Maybe I’ll ask Wells the next time I see him,” she states bitterly, enjoying it when the hope dies out of the man’s eyes.

Without another word she turns and walks out. Tank growls once at the man then follows. Outside Clarke takes a few breaths to gather herself. What are the odds the Ark computers are working? She asks directions to the clan radio and formulates a question to ask. She glances at her father’s watch. If all is well, Raven and Lexa should be in Arkadia by now. She nods to the radio man.

“Open up a line to Arkadia. Don’t speak, hand me the mic.” The man does. Clarke speaks when he nods. “Wanheda to Heda.”

“Hold for call routing to Heda,” comes the reply.

Clarke smiles. Obviously her mate has made it and informed the Ark radio operator to pretend to place a call relay to Yujleda. She paces for nearly five minutes before there is another reply.

“Go for Heda,” Lexa replies.

“Dead end for the most part here in Rock Line. Heading for the Podakru tomorrow to see if they have anything that can help. Have you made it to Broad Leaf yet?”

“Sha. We set out tomorrow to hunt down our foes.”

“Good. While you’re there, see if you can find the colour-by-number picture I left there last time. It was of a beautiful old house. I really liked it and hate that I forgot it.”

Lexa looks at Raven, who starts to giggle and just gives the Heda a thumbs up. Lexa rolls her eyes. Of course the mechanic would know what the omega is babbling about.

“Will do. Be safe on your journey north, Wanheda.”

“Mochof, Heda. Ai hod yu in.”

“Ai hod yu in. Yujleda out.”

Clarke hands the microphone back and walks out. Tarmian lifts an eyebrow.

“Now why would you want a colour-by-number picture? I have seen your work, Wanheda.”

“Long story. So, want to give me a tour since we leave for Arkadia tomorrow?”

He frowns. “Arkadia? But you…” then he starts to chuckle. “Misinformation, much like when we had your Ark surrounded.”

Clarke nods. “Sha. Misinformation.”

He laughs. “I always like your style, Wanheda.”

Clarke just grins as he starts to show her around the main city of his clan.

* * *

As soon as the radio is silent, Lexa looks at Raven.

“Explain,” she growls.

Raven chuckles. “Easy, Heda. What Clarke was saying without saying it is the schematics for that bunker are somewhere in the Ark computers.”

Lexa frowns. “And how did you get that from what she said?”

“She once teased me that schematics look like colour-by-number pics little kids play with. A beautiful old house? Has to be the bunker.”

Lexa pinches the bridge of her nose. “You two hurt my head sometimes.”

“We try. I’ll get with Sinclair and see if we can track it down.” She starts out, then pauses. “Hey, ease up on the headache. Everything is going to be okay. We’re ahead of these assholes even though they think we’re chasing our own tails. We got this, Heda.”

Lexa nods. She can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right. How are they still no closer to finding any of those that scattered outside Polis? Sure, some had made it to the bunker but there is no way they all did. Where the hell are they hiding? Can they be sure that there is only one bunker? Surely there are others.


	14. Chapter 14

Anya has just finished final preparations for the departure the next day when a messenger races into her office.

“MESSAGE FROM KING ROAN! THEY HAVE KORA!” the boy screams.

Anya grabs him and yanks him close, her pheromones pumping out on high. “WHO has her?!”

“The…the people in the bunker. They killed the woman who was with her as well as three sentries.”

Anya roars and would have thrown the boy across the room if Praxis hadn’t stopped her. She tries to calm down.

“Alert Heda and Wanheda. NOW!” She turns to Praxis. “Get Diyoza down here.”

The two hurry out, glad to get away from the pheromones she is pumping out.

* * *

Clarke laughs as Tarmian’s wife finishes telling the tale of his rather embarrassing, and nearly unsuccessful, first date attempt.

“Luckily I saw something in him and decided to give him another chance. Well, as long as he promised not to go near any manure piles again,” she says.

Tarmian grunts. “I swear the pile wasn’t there that morning. Who knew they were about to till up that field and work manure in it? Seemed like a nice place for a picnic when I scouted it.”

Clarke nods. “Well, I am sure it was- -”

“WANHEDA! Emergency call from Polis.”

Clarke is up before the messenger finishes talking. She runs for the radio room in the chief’s house and sees the man nodding. He turns.

“Uh, for you, Wanheda.”

“Wanheda here. What’s going on?”

“We received word from Azgeda that Kora has been kidnapped.”

“WHAT?! What about her siblings?”

“They are fine. Only Kora was taken.”

“Son of a bitch.” She keys the mic. “We’re leaving now!”

She turns and Tarmian steps forward.

“Permission to replace your traitor, Wanheda.”

Clarke shakes her head. “You need to stay here and help find the others who have infiltrated and make sure they don’t free Callisto.” She looks beyond him. “I promise to come back for a real visit as soon as I can, Chief Garcia.”

The man nods. “Be safe, Wanheda. May you find your daughter soon.”

“Thank you.”

She races past them to find her people already gathering. Less than 5 minutes after the call, they are on their way back to Polis.

* * *

Lexa’s roar echoes through the halls of the Ark and out to those gathered in the courtyard. She races out of the Ark towards the gates of the settlement. Henry is right on her heels.

“HEY! What’s going on?” Raven yells after them.

“The bastards kidnapped Kora,” Captain Miller tells her as he races past. “MONROE! NATHAN! JACOBY! SPARKS! YOU’RE WITH HEDA!”

The four guards nod and race after the figure streaking towards the vehicles in her encampment. Wick helps Raven gather up everything she needs and they follow.

“Raven…good luck,” he says as she gets into the back of the Heda’s car.

She nods her thanks and gets in. Her heart is hammering in her chest. She can’t imagine what Lexa is going through. She scoots up close, trying to pump out calming pheromones.

“Fuck,” she mumbles, too worked up to help.

“Raven,” Lexa says sharply.

“Sha, Heda.”

“Thank you for trying,” she says slightly calmer.

Raven just nods, her stomach sick at the thought of how scared Kora must be. Lexa just stares out into the night. In her mind she knows she will kill anyone who hurts her child.

And not a damn person will be able to stop her.

* * *

Once night had fallen, Brother Thomas leads his people out of the cave they had hidden in and starts the trek to the southernmost access door of their bunker. He is riding on a high, despite losing the chance to kill the Heda. He had gotten word that not only was the foolish woman heading towards the area once known as Georgia but he now had an even better ace in the hole to get his way.

He had the Heda’s daughter.

People will soon see this woman who has always claimed to rule with her head not her heart is full of shit. There is no way she won’t give up everything to save the child. Instead of just showing everyone her death, he will show them she is a hypocrite. She will gladly allow others to die to save her child.

And then he will kill them both.

People will celebrate him for exposing the truth of their leaders. They will worship him for taking charge and killing the Heda, her mates and their children. They will give him everything he wants.

And what they don’t give, his people will take.

He will send out inquisition squads to find any that may still deny him his just dues. He will seek and destroy any who would try to overthrow him. He will kill any that stand between him and complete domination. The Children of Aseity will rise triumphant!

And as he gradually reintroduces technology, they will praise him for those advances.

He will show them that as a benevolent leader he has researched ways to help. He will show them how some simple tech, or at least tech he will claim is simple, is a result of Divine Simplicity. It is okay to use tech to survive for their supreme God, and their God’s right hand, has decreed it so.

And soon…soon he will name himself that God.

“Sir, there is a patrol up ahead,” a man whispers.

Brother Thomas growls to himself. He had been so busy planning his future ascension he had nearly walked his people right into the hands of the enemy. He orders people to drop down. One man signals, silently asking if they should engage. Brother Thomas shakes his head. No need to call attention to themselves.

Ten minutes later they are on the move again. If all goes well they will arrive at their bunker before daylight. Then he can speak with the brat and see if she overheard her mothers talk about anything important. Doubtful but you never know with these heathens. Time to bring them to heel.

Time for Brother Thomas to rise!

* * *

When they arrive at the bunker, a man pulls Kora off the horse and tosses her over his shoulder. She grunts but doesn’t struggle. It would be useless with her hands tied, she hears her Nomtu’s voice tell her.

She is walked into a cave and then the cave wall opens to reveal steps down into semi-darkness. The man walks down with confidence, lights coming on ahead of them as he walks. A few minutes later he walks into a small, windowless room and sets her on the ground. He glares at her.

“Do anything stupid and I’ll chain you to the wall,” he warns her.

He cuts her hands free and takes off her gag. He walks to the door and nods to somebody. A young woman walks in and places a tray on the side table.

“Food and water. You must be hungry,” she says.

“I want to go home,” Kora growls as best she can.

“You are home now. You are now one of us, Kora. Brother Thomas will come see you soon. Be ready to take your place among us.”

Kora stands up, standing at attention as she has seen the Guards and Raiders do. “NO! I am Kora of Polis, Daughter of Heda Lexa! Release me!”

The man that had carried her in chuckles. “Ooo! Tough chick.” He grabs the servant girl and pulls her out of the room. “Eat or don’t. Up to you, kid.”

He shuts the door and engages the lock. Even though she had heard it, Kora runs over and checks the door anyway. Definitely locked. She turns and studies the room. No windows. No closet. A bed. A toilet. A sink.

“Looks like Mama’s room on that spaceship,” she mumbles, having toured it one day with her parents.

She feels her stomach rumble and reluctantly goes to look at the food. It is just an array of vegetables. She sighs.

“ _Your veggies make you stronger_ ,” she hears Grandma Abby tell her.

She eats everything and drinks the water. When she is done she takes stock of what she has. Since she is a child, they hadn’t even searched her after killing the nice lady that was helping her. This means Kora has her boot knife, the small screwdriver set Raven had given her, the lockpick Jasper had given her, her wind-up flashlight Monty had made her, and, in a special pouch on her waist, her part of the walkie talkie set she had given her Nomtu. She pulls it out and looks at it, wondering if she should try it. She sighs.

“No, Raven says it doesn’t have a long signal and would have issues inside metal like our bunker. Probably have the same problem in this one. Best to save it until I escape.”

“ _Good thinking, young one_ ,” she hears her Nomon tell her.

She looks around again. Still no windows. She checks again. Yep, door still locked. Even worse there is nowhere on this side to use the lockpick. She turns and studies the room once more. She starts to grin as she remembers a story she had heard about Raven and Monty escaping a bad man in the Ark.

“Access tunnels!”

She carefully walks along the wall until she finds a vent under the bed. Not an access tunnel but the right size for her. She pulls out her screwdriver set and gets to work. Soon she is wiggling into the hole and pulling the vent back into place. Hopefully since it is out of sight no one will think about it right away when they find she’s escaped.

When she gets to the first split she looks both ways. There seems to be light towards the right. So she goes left. Less light probably means fewer people.

“ _Well done, strik gona_ ,” she hears her Mama praise her.

“I’m going to make you three proud of me. Ai swega,” she whispers as she continues to crawl quietly, using her flashlight sparingly so no light bleeds out of the vents and alerts someone to her presence.

* * *

Abby stares at Anya. She shakes her head. “No…no, they can’t have her. THEY CAN’T!”

Anya growls. “They do. I need all the serum you’ve made and I need you with me. If she’s…if they…”

Anya’s legs give out. Abby grabs her and guides her to a chair. Anya presses the heels of her palm into her eyes, trying to force the tears back inside. After a few minutes she drops them into her lap.

“Sorry, Abi. I just…I’m not…I am…”

Abby places her hands on the woman’s shoulders. “For the moment, just in front of me, you’re a mother terrified for her daughter. Take a break while I get things together.”

Anya just nods, grateful she demanded her guards let her tell Abby this news alone. Her mates are on their way back but she will be gone before they arrive in Polis. The armies are moving out as soon as everything is ready. They will surround the bunker and be ready to attack if Kora is not returned immediately.

* * *

“Son of a bitch,” Raven mutters.

“What?” Lexa demands.

“This thing is like a giant buried octopus! But what has me worried is though the main bunker on the tip of the peninsula, they have so many ways to sneak out, they would end up having our armies surrounded if we advance too close.”

“Show me!”

Raven leans forward and minimizes the schematic on the tablet enough to show the full scale of the place to her Heda. Lexa lets out a low growl. All the plans she and Anya had devised are flawed. They had worried about a sea approach. Turns out, the land assault is the trap. Lexa grabs the mic.

“HEDA TO POLIS! COME IN!’

“Polis here.”

“GET ME THE GENERAL!”

“Heda, General Anya and her forces have already left.”

“RELAY ME!”

A moment later, Anya answers.

“This is General Anya. Who is this?”

“TURN BACK!” Lexa orders.

“WHAT?! NO! Those bastards have Kora! I am NOT leaving her with them!” Anya barks back.

“The main bunker is a trap! It’s meant to draw their enemies in. If you lead our forces there they will be able to use alternate exits to surround you. You’ll be dead before you can even bargain for Kora!” Lexa growls.

Anya hears the words. The voice inside that is devoted to her children wants to tell her mate to go to hell. The voice that is the general, that is the protector of her people, knows there is validity to what Lexa is saying. She keys the microphone.

“Then we can burn together. General Anya out.”

She rips the radio out of its ceiling mount.

Lexa screams into the microphone, demanding Anya acknowledge her but it is no use. After a moment to control her emotions, she lifts the mic once more.

“Heda to Wanheda, did you copy that communication?”

“Sha, Heda, we were on that channel,” Clarke replies, her voice filled with emotion.

“Rendezvous at Sigma station. We will not let Anya face this alone.”

Clarke lets out a grunt before responding. “Copy, Heda. Should be there in…about 15 hours.”

“We’ll be there in 12. Heda out.”

“Wanheda out.”

Clarke hangs up the mic and stares out the window.

“Wanheda, we should be there in about 12 hours,” Tank notes.

Clarke nods. “I know that, Lexa knows that. Those fucks with my child don’t know that. They’ll try to chart a spot 15 hours from Rock Line and 12 hours from Arkadia. We’ll be at the real Sigma in about 12 and 10 hours respectively. We’ll figure out who is there and move in. I am sure by now Roan and Indra have sent up their reserves to Polis so their main forces are with Anya.”

“But if Anya- -”

“She won’t,” Clarke interrupts. “I’m sure she will see reason. She may advance with some but not all. I have to…have to believe she was just being obstinate for show.” She turns to look back out the window. “I have to believe that…”

Tank sighs, recognizing that belief is really a hope that her mate is not walking into her own execution.


	15. Chapter 15

Eight hours into their journey, Clarke and her people are flying through Azgeda territory towards the Dead Zone. Word had been spread to make sure all the roads are clear. Clarke, in trying to distract herself, thinks about the impressive work that had been done while she was in space. Bare trails had been turned into real roads once stashes of vehicles were discovered. In some places it looks like roads from 100 years ago were discovered and repaired.

“Wanheda, there is someone flagging us down,” Tank states.

Clarke looks ahead and sees a man in the colours and symbols of Azgeda waving to them. She is surprised to see a rifle on his back but knows some Grounders had been trained and issued firearms during her time away. Still throws her sometimes. She rolls down her window.

“Chit ste gon hir?” Clarke asks him.

The man walks over with an easy smile on his face. “Some trees are down. We’re still clearing them,” he explains.

Clarke nods. “I see.”

In the time he had walked up she had noted two things: 1) no facial scars but he does not carry himself like an assassin. And 2) he doesn’t carry himself like an Azgeda warrior.

He’s a fucking infiltrator.

She casually scans the trees, seeing no one. Surprising. They must be waiting for a signal. Time to give her own signal to her foes. She leans on the window sill and gives the guy a smile.

“I feel bad you had to wait out here for us. Let me give you something to eat,” she offers.

He grins and steps closer, his hand sliding to his dagger as if to keep it still. He leans against the door.

“What do you- -UGH!”

Clarke slams the door open, his head slamming against the side frame. As he stumbles back, she leaps out and kicks him between the legs, taking him to his knees. Tank winces at that move as the other Raiders leap out the back of the transport. Clarke kicks the man in the temple and he collapses to the ground. She straddles his chest and grabs him by the hair, pulling him up until her pistol barrel is in his eye socket.

“You’re no Azgeda warrior. Do you know how I know?”

“N…No,” he whimpers.

“Because you’re too stupid. No warrior would approach a vehicle like that. And you know what else?” He shakes his head as best he can. “Roan wouldn’t have you.”

She draws her gun back and slams it into his temple, knocking him out. She looks to her Raiders.

“Tie him up. He may be good trade material.” She looks out into the woods and screams. “AI LAIK WANHEDA! SURRENDER NOW AND MAYBE YOU WON’T DIE!”

Max steps beside her and offers over the rifle the man had carried. Clarke looks at it and grunts.

“Definitely not a Skaikru gun,” she notes.

“Sha, Wanheda,” Max agrees.

“Once he’s tied up get back in the truck. This has cost us precious time,” she orders.

He nods and soon everyone is back in the transports and the Raiders are once more racing towards a confrontation with the cult.

No one had surrendered themselves. Clarke can only hope they will stop following Brother Thomas and just melt into society. She doubts they will…but she can hope.

* * *

Praxis nods as he looks at the plan Anya has drawn up. He had been worried she would be too overcome with fear to listen to reason. But the farther north they had driven the more she had seen blundering into this war would not be wise. It could end up costing too many lives, including those of Kora and Anya herself.

“If we stage the majority of our people here, we can then move them in. It’s a potential suicide run, make sure they know that. No one will be penalized if they refuse to go. People with families should be excused immediately unless they volunteer. Make it happen,” she orders.

Praxis nods his head. “Sha, Wormana.”

As he goes to post the orders, she turns to the other two leaders in the room. “Neither of you should be here.”

“I believe Clarke says when someone saves your life you say thank you,” Roan teases.

Anya grunts. “And your excuse?”

“I was bored,” Indra intones dryly.

Anya can’t help but chuckle. “Thank you both for being here. Until we see the schematics Raven has we will not martial our forces.” She looks at Roan. “Are you sure your team is already inside the perimeter?”

He nods. “Sha. When they got word about Kora they knew a small team had a better chance of infiltration and rescue than a large force.”

Anya nods. “Perhaps. I fear if they already had Kora inside, the team will not be successful. And the smart thing would have been to get Kora into that compound as soon as possible and that means one of those escape routes, not the front door.”

Indra nods. “It is what I would have done.”

Anya grabs one of the clocks off the table. “Heda should be here in an hour. Let’s take this time to make sure everyone understands what to do so we can do it as soon as we see that map.”

The two leaders nod and step to the table to review the plan so far.

* * *

Kora had been crawling for hours. More than once she’d found a dead end and had to turn around to choose another route. She has to get to the end of the vent system. From there she can get into the vents leading outside; the ones that draw air into the filtration system. The internal ducts will not help her escape.

As she is crawling she notices a light ahead of her. She makes sure she is as quiet as possible as she nears it. She hears two people speaking in Tridgedasleng.

“ _But I’m scared! I can’t help that I’m scared!_ ” a young boy says.

“ _I know, son, I know,_ ” a man answers. “ _But Heda will rescue us. I know she will._ ”

“ _Where is Mama?_ ”

“ _I don’t know. What I do know is the man said you and your sister are too young for whatever they need. No matter what happens to me, protect her and help her, okay?_ ”

“ _Yes, Father,_ ” the little boy answers.

Kora scoots forward until she can look through the vent into the room. She sees a man holding a little girl, a young boy beside him.

“Hey!” she whispers. “Hey! Can you hear me?”

The man sets the girl aside and crawls to the vent. “Who are you?”

“I am Kora of Polis, daughter of Heda Lexa.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Escaping,” she answers.

“Take my children! Please!”

Kora pulls out her screw driver and slips it out to him. He quickly unscrews the vents and waves his kids over. A quick look confirms he is too big to follow. He hugs both his children.

“Be brave like Kora, my children. Ai hod yu in.”

“Come with us, Papa,” the little girl begs.

“I can’t. But I will see you soon. I promise!”

The little boy climbs in first and eases back down the vent. “Come on, Meggy, you go after Kora,” he whispers.

The little girl reluctantly lets go of her father and crawls in. He reattaches the vent and gives Kora back the screwdriver. He stares into her eyes.

“Mochof, Kora kom Polis. Mochof.”

She nods her head and looks at the other two. “Crawl real quiet, okay? If there is anywhere the light leaks in I have to stop using the flashlight so it will get real dark. Okay?”

The two nod. Kora turns back and starts to crawl again. The man watches until they are out of sight. He sits up on his knees and says a prayer.

“Please, Spirits, watch over my children. Help Kora get them to safety. Please.”

* * *

Echo eases back down into their hiding place. “Three guards. They have guns and knives.”

Bellamy frowns. “Only three guards? When they know we’ll be on the warpath to get Kora back? Not to mention the other captives we’ve heard about.”

Echo nods. “I don’t like it either. It’s too easy. For now we watch and learn. The general’s forces are holding just outside the established perimeter. Let’s wait and see what happens.” She looks around at her team. “When daylight comes we’ll scout some more. For now, we rest and eat. I’ve got first watch.”

Her people nod. Her mate studies her face.

“What?” she growls lowly.

He gives her a smile. “I love when you take charge. It used to annoy the piss out of me when Clarke took charge. Guess it’s love.”

Echo rolls her eyes. “You are such a dork.”

She gives him a quick kiss then moves back up into the tree she had been using to watch the guards. Bellamy sets his pack down at the base of the tree and uses it as a pillow. He looks up in the tree and sees his mate on alert. Yep, never once had he been bothered by her taking charge. Octavia is right: he’s whooped. And damn happy about it.

* * *

Lexa gets out of the truck and storms towards the command tent. Warriors bow their head in salute of their Heda. She ignores them. When she enters the tent, Anya spins around. Lexa looks at Roan and Indra. With a jerk of her head she dismisses them. Indra has seen this before and drops the tent flap on her way out. The two alphas stare at each other.

Then Lexa opens her arms.

Anya hurries to her and closes her eyes as strong arms wrap around her. She breathes in the scent of her alpha and uses it to center herself. After a few minutes Anya leans back and kisses her love.

“I’m sorry I lost my temper at you, Heda.”

“That was not my general. That was my mate worried about our daughter. You are forgiven. You held here because you knew in your head it was the right thing to do. And you have always led our people with your head, ai wormana,” Lexa whispers calmly.

“It was so hard. Harder even than when we lost you and Klark to that ship. Perhaps even worse than when I saw that ship take flight with our omega in it. Kora must be so scared.”

Lexa smiles. “Kora is smart and brave. She will be fine, Anya. When we do rescue her, we’ll make sure she knows how proud we are of her and make this like it was just one big adventure for her.”

“And hold her all night to make sure she doesn’t have bad dreams?”

“Sha, that too.”

The two share a kiss and one more hug. Lexa then walks to the tent flap and opens it. By the time she has returned to the planning table, Indra, Roan and Raven have entered. Raven pauses by Anya.

“Kora’s tough. She’ll be fine.”

Anya smiles and nods. “Sha, she will be.”

Raven places the tablet on the table and hits a button to pull up a holographic 3-D image of the whole complex. By perfect happenstance, Anya had stopped the advance right before the edge of the compound.

“So, there are external doors in 9 places, including the main door,” Raven points out. “Additionally, there are air vents in certain places. We know these people, for whatever reason, don’t have to worry about radiation. They managed to adapt unlike the Mountain Men. My guess is they somehow introduced low-dose radiation into their lives either on purpose or through faulty filters. After the first couple of generations they wouldn’t have even seen any sort of radiation sickness.”

She pauses as the flap opens and someone else enters. The mechanic growls.

“What the hell is she doing here?”

Anya places a hand on Raven’s shoulder. “I asked her to come. These people are like terrorists and she understands them better than we do,” she explains Diyoza’s presence. “She has already helped us some and is continuing to do so.”

Raven just grunts.

“Good to see you, too, Raven,” Diyoza says with a smirk. She places a pair of binoculars on the table. “From what I can see they only have 3 guards. About 150 yards the other side of that door there is a team in the woods. Can’t see who they are but because they are just observing I assume they are ours.”

“That would be Echo’s team,” Roan replies. “They will not advance right now, even with the cover of night. They will see something is off.”

“And that something is why only 3 guarding your main door,” Indra notes.

“They want to draw us in,” Lexa states. “I doubt they have the red gas like the Maunon but they could well have weapons we haven’t seen yet.” She looks to Diyoza. “What do you think about defenses?”

Diyoza shrugs. “You already know they were stockpiling weapons based on government reports. Unless they had a plant, there is probably things the government didn’t know. I doubt the Feds knew about the C-4 or they would have been taken down. My guess is they have drones, perhaps landmines, and maybe even crude traps set up. This is their home, their sanctum. They would guard it at all costs.”

“Do we know how many are in there?” Indra asks.

“Based on interrogations of Hella and others, approximately 342 men, women and children,” Anya answers.

Lexa frowns. “So few…why?”

“Natural selection was what Hella explained. Upon birth, children were tested. If they didn’t have certain attributes, they were…well, you can guess. As they got older, if they showed any sort of mental or physical issues that would not make them good breeding stock, they were eliminated. Plus, there are those out here among our clans.”

“Son a of bitch,” Raven mutters. “And we thought those on the Ark were assholes for only allowing one kid per family.”

Lexa starts to pace. In her mind she is considering who she has with her and what they should do to secure the compound. She goes back to the table.

“General, we need to cover each doorway into the compound. Divide our forces to put someone on each and get them moving out. We have only a couple hours until daylight. When the sun rises, I want them to know we have found those escape routes. The main part of our forces will move towards the main door. I have a feeling Brother Thomas will meet us there.”

Anya nods and starts to divide their forces. None would escape their wrath. They can surrender and learn to live with the Coalition, or they can be destroyed.

Just as the first groups start to move out, Wanheda’s Raiders arrive. Clarke leaps out of her truck and races into the command tent.

“REPORT!”

Lexa steps to her and pulls her close. “No sign of Kora. Troops are moving into position so that when the sun rises anyone using the auxiliary exits of the compound will know they have been found. The majority of our forces, including your Raiders, will approach the main door. We will demand they release Kora and other prisoners. Those that wish to live in peace can do so. Those who stand against us face justice.”

Clarke looks to Anya. “Thank you for stopping your advance.”

Anya walks over and pulls her into a hug. “Thank you for explaining to Raven why the radio in my Jeep needs to be reinstalled.”

Clarke gives her a smile. “I never said I’d tell Raven that.”

Anya grins, though it doesn’t reach her eyes. “But you love me so I know you will.” She pulls Clarke close again, fighting her tears. “I’m sorry I sent Kora to the Outcasts. I’m so, so sorry,” she sobs.

Lexa stiffens. She goes to the tent flap and drops it. She walks over and wraps her arms around both mates.

“Niron, we don’t blame you. It was a sound plan. And our other three children are safe. That they got Kora was a fluke. We will get her back,” she coos.

“How…do you know?” Anya sobs.

Clarke smiles. “Hey, you got me back from space. Kora’s a hell of a lot closer.”

Anya can’t help but chuckle through her tears at that logic. She pulls her mates close. “I love you both. I will not rest until she is back with us.”

“We know, niron. We know.”

The three hold each other, drawing strength from their love. Clarke then goes to let her Raiders know where they will be and what the plan is.

Time to end this war before it escalates!


	16. Chapter 16

Kora sighs in relief when she gets to the room with the air intakes from the outside. She watches carefully until she is sure no one is in the room then carefully undoes the bolts holding the vent cover in place. She twists around until she can hang from her arms then drops to the ground. She helps Sven get his sister down. As he is dropping down, Kora is running towards the intake machine. She studies it, wondering how they will get in and climb up the vent.

“Kora. Door!” Sven whispers and points.

She sees the door he is pointing to and runs over to it. She reads the sign on it.

**Do not open when Red Light is on. Possible Contamination Risk.**

She frowns. Contamination from what? Well, the light isn’t on so out comes her lockpick and soon the door is open. She looks inside and smiles. She waves the other two over and in they go. The walls are lined with contamination suits, shovels, and other equipment. At the far end of the hallway is a sealed door with another sign.

**When door is sealed, outer door is open. Full contamination suits required for entry.**

“It’s the way out,” she whispers. “Come on!”

The three race over to the huge metal door. It takes all their power to get it open. They get inside and pull it closed. There is another large door in front of them.

**Main door must be sealed to allow access to ground.**

Kora studies things carefully. She sees a red light over the door into the building and green one over the door to the outside.

“How do we seal it?” she mumbles.

Sven smiles. “I know! We have one like this on our grain silo!”

He goes to the door they just entered and spins the large wheel on it. After a few turns they hear a large clunking sound and the red light comes on. They spin around and see the green light on.

“YES!” Kora cheers.

Sven hurries over and spins the wheel on that door and soon they are tugging it open. There is path leading upwards. Dirt and rocks cover the ground so they have to move quietly in case anyone is on the other side of this path. The closer they get to the light the more they understand why it is so small. This is obviously not a regularly used escape route. The entrance is grown over and, worse, the hinged gate is rusted shut. Kora kicks the door.

“Damn it!”

“Now what?” Sven asks.

Kora thinks a moment then lets out a reluctant breath. “We go back and try to get out via the vents again.”

“What about that one there?” Meggy asks, pointing to one in the ceiling.

They run over and look up. They see light way up the narrow duct. Kora looks at Sven.

“Go get that chair in the containment room!”

He runs back down and gets one of the chairs that sits in the little room between the doors. He also sees a coil of rope and grabs that too, not sure his sister will be able to make the climb up the vent. When he gets back, Kora gets up and undoes the vent. It swings down. It is still too high to reach and start to climb. She thinks a moment.

“I got it! I’ll tie the rope around my waist. Sven, boost me up and I’ll walk up using my feet and my hands like I saw the Nightbloods do once. When I get out, I can tie off the rope and you can come up, then we can send the rope back down and Meggy we can pull you out. Okay?”

Sven looks nervous but nods. He doesn’t understand how Kora will get out. She ties the rope on. Sven gets up on the chair. Kora steps on the back of it then Sven cups his hands together and she steps up. As he lifts her up she uses one leg and her back to wedge into the vent. She then brings her other leg up.

“This is…lots tougher…then it looks,” she grunts.

Slowly, her legs shaking at times with the exertion she slowly scoots her way up, her feet and hands taking her weight as best they can. After several minutes she looks up.

Still a long, long way to go…

* * *

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE’S GONE?! Are you people not able to keep hold of prisoners? First you lose her mother now you lose her! How do we make them bend to our will if you keep losing our leverage?” Brother Thomas bellows.

Before the shivering man before him can answer another man runs in.

“Brother Thomas, sir, I have bad news.”

“What?!”

“That family we captured? The mother has been taken for cleansing and processing. We went back for the father and the children are gone.”

“WHAT?! WHERE ARE THEY?”

“No idea, sir. We’re not sure who let them out.”

Brother Thomas starts to pace, his alpha pheromones blasting anyone near him. They all start to cower, which is why his inner circle is only made up of betas and omegas. He likes to dominate them.

“That brat. She got out and let them out, too. The father stayed behind in hopes we’d forget about his children.” He grabs the first man. “Figure out where that brat went. Find her, find the others. NOW!”

The two men hurry out of the room, eager to be away from the alpha as much as to find the missing children.

“Sir, come look,” a man sitting at a computer monitor says.

Brother Thomas walks over and studies the images from one of the drones that they have circling. He lets out a low growl at seeing the Triumvirate making their way towards the main door of the compound.

“There’s more, sir.”

The man switches the image. He does so several times, each time showing forces gathering near the other exits. Brother Thomas’ face goes crimson.

“They know. They fucking know about all our exits!” He takes a deep breath. “Fine. They’ve dictated where they will meet their fate. Send out word for every able-bodied person to get their firearms and meet up in the main chapel. If those savages want a war, we’ll give them a war!”

“Yes, sir,” the man replies and hits a button that starts an alert blaring through the compound.

War is at hand.

* * *

It takes her nearly two hours but Kora finally gets to the area that angles over towards the vent intake. As her back clears the opening she uses her hands and feet to push backwards onto the ledge. She hears Sven and Meggy clapping. She wipes sweat off her brow and tries to catch her breath. She is pretty sure every muscle in her body hurts.

“I’ll never try to get out of practice and exercising again,” she vows.

After a few minutes she turns over and flips two latches that should open the vent. She pushes on it a little and finally breaks the corrosion bonds that had held it closed. She eases it open and looks around. She sees a tree and quickly squirms out, unties the rope from her waist and secures it around the tree. She goes back and pops back up to the vent.

“Come on, Sven.”

She pulls on the rope as he steps up on the back of the chair. Meggy sits on it to keep it from tipping and soon he is making his way up the vent. With Kora pulling, it doesn’t take him as long to walk up there. They then drop down the rope and together yank Meggy up into the vent when she says she’s ready. Pulling together they get her up and out.

The three kids fall to the ground, exhausted. Kora knows they need to keep moving to find help.

“Just gonna…close my eyes for a second,” she mumbles.

Soon all three are fast asleep. It’s been a hell of a few hours!

* * *

At high noon, Lexa lifts her hand to stop the advance of her forces. They stand about 50 yards from the main entrance to the bunker. The guards outside had grown in numbers from 3 to maybe 100. The sounds of drones buzzing overhead makes Clarke nervous as she remembers the drones from the prison ship. Brother Thomas stands in front of his people and smiles at his enemy.

“He’ll make a grandiose welcome speech,” Diyoza whispers from right behind them. “It is mostly for show for his people so they think they are not in trouble and he is not scared. His inner circle isn’t there. They are out somewhere else preparing to either attack some other way or help him get out of here if it looks like the tide will turn.”

Lexa gives a curt nod at the information. She steps beyond her people.

“You have some of my people captive. Release them,” she orders.

Brother Thomas gives her a cheesy smile. “No one here is a captive, Lexa. Like you, they are simply people wishing to live. Unlike you, they don’t need the horrors of technology, machines, the weapons that destroyed our world. Please, feel free to come inside and visit with us. Our last encounter was simply a misunderstanding. You want the same things I do: just to live in peace.”

Lexa watches as people nod their heads at his words. She glances over her shoulder and nods. The crowd parts as 27 people are marched forward in chains. In front of the prisoners marches Hella, who is unbound. Brother Thomas’ eye narrow.

“You lie, Thomas,” Lexa calls out. “You run your people like a cult mixed with a terrorist organization. People live in subservience to you, not as equals. You use technology to your advantage. Tell me, Thomas, do your people know how you use it to create the serum used in your darts? Do they know the special ingredient in their food? What do they really know about you and your minions?”

Brother Thomas had stiffened at the mention of the food. He recovers quickly.

“True, I do let a few of my people dabble with the machines the doctors used to use. Would you see us get sick and die when there are things that can help minor issues?”

Lexa laughs. “And there you prove to your people you are a hypocrite. You use technology to make you a benevolent leader in their eyes.” She steps closer. “You are a monster!”

“She’s right, Father! You have us eating PEOPLE! How could you do that?! Why?” Hella screams.

And this is why Clarke had not wanted the woman brought forward. Hella is on the edge of a break, teetering between her devotion to her father and the truths that Abby had revealed. She had been told to remain silent. But her anger and confusion have bubbled up. Clarke turns and approaches her.

“Hella, hush,” she hisses.

“NO!” She shoves Clarke away and steps closer to the front of the line. “Tell me what I said is a lie! Tell me!” she pleads.

“This is about to go downhill, Lexa,” Anya mumbles.

And then an explosion rocks the ground, followed by several more in succession. In takes a moment for them to realize the drones are now shooting at spots on the ground.

“LANDMINES!” Diyoza screams.

“RETREAT!” Anya orders.

The Grounder forces drop back to get out of range of the mines. Clarke turns to her people.

“TAKE OUT THE DRONES!”

Bullets and arrows fly at the darting machines. She has just made sure people are moving back when a mine explodes near her, sending her flying. Luckily Gustus breaks her fall.

“Wanheda! You must retreat, too!”

Clarke growls but reluctantly agrees. She sees Tank dragging Anya back and Henry pulling Lexa. Their child is behind enemy lines and it goes against everything in them to back off without Kora. By the time they reach the tree line the explosions have stopped. Clarke stumbles to her mates.

“What do we do next?”

Lexa grunts and wipes dirt off her face. “I have no idea.”


	17. Chapter 17

When the first explosion sounds, Kora is startled awake. She sits up and sees Sven and Meggy also shocked into consciousness. Despite her protesting muscles, she moves towards the sound. She peers through some bushes and sees people dressed in strange outfits creeping towards a distant clearing. She looks beyond them and her eyes widen when she see Bellamy, Echo and several others in the clothes of Azgeda warriors watching what’s happening in the clearing. These strangers are going to hurt Uncle Bellamy! She pulls her boot dagger and jumps up.

“NO!”

She throws the dagger at one man and watches it embed itself between his shoulder blades. Her shout had alerted Bellamy and the others. They spin around and Bellamy shoots their stalkers before the Children of Aseity get off a shot. He races towards the man with the dagger in his back and yanks it out, smiling.

“I’d recognize that anywhere! KORA!”

Echo and the others stare in shock as Kora and two other children come out of the brush and race towards them. Bellamy drops to his knees as Kora leaps into his arms. He holds her tightly, thanking the Spirits that Echo had ordered her team to continue scouting the perimeter of the clearing as the morning had gone on.

“Kora…I am so happy to see you!”

“Me, too, Uncle Bellamy.”

He eases her back as Echo squats down beside them. “Kora, how did you get here?”

“We escaped out a vent.” She turns and points. “Back there.”

Echo smiles. “You really are the Heda’s kid, aren’t you?”

Kora smiles proudly. “Sha, I am.”

“Show me where it is.”

Kora leads Bellamy and Echo back to the vent. Bellamy leans in and looks down. He pulls out and stares at her in surprise.

“How the heck did you get out of there?”

Kora explains about using the vent in her cell, finding Sven and Meggy, and finally how she and Sven got up and out then pulled up Meggy. Echo chuckles.

“Kid, you are ready for the Royal Guard already!” She pats her on the shoulder. “Well done.”

“Thanks, Aunt Echo,” Kora says proudly.

Echo turns to Bellamy. “I can get down there. A couple others can, too. We’ll get in and get that door they saw open. Find it and that’s how you get in.” Bellamy nods. Echo turns to Kora. “If I draw you a map to the main encampment, can you get there?”

Kora frowns. “I…I don’t know. I’ve never had maps lessons before.”

Sven steps up. “I can read a map, ma’am. We use them all the time to find hunting spots and stuff. Please just…can you save my parents? They are still in there.”

Echo pats him on the shoulder. “I’ll do my best, Sven. Ai swega.” She pulls out a piece of parchment and draws them a quick map. “Stick to the internal side of the tree line and if you see anyone that you don’t know, hide. The bad guys could have stolen clothes and some have even pretended to be friends. Trust NO ONE unless you know them, okay?”

“Yes, Aunt Echo.”

Bellamy finishes cleaning off Kora’s dagger and hands it back to her. “In case you need it. Be safe, Kora. Please.”

She gives him a hug. “I will. Promise.”

As the three children move out, Bellamy looks to Echo. “Did we do the right thing? She’s only 6.”

Echo grins. “She’s 7, actually. You were gone a year, remember?”

“Ah. Right. Still…”

“Want to know what I was doing by 7?” Bellamy considers that then shakes his head. “Good. I guarantee you her nomon and nomtu have her well trained. That’s why she kept her head and got the fuck out of this bunker.”

Bellamy turns and watches until the kids disappear then turns back to Echo. “Okay, so let’s do this.”

Echo grabs the two people that can fit down the vent and they use the rope Kora used getting out to get back in. Once down there, Bellamy looks inside and sees Echo pointing towards the exit. He takes the rest of the team towards that entrance. Time to do a little infiltration of their own!

* * *

When they reach the command tent, Lexa starts to pace. They had done what they needed to do. They had given their troops time to get into position around the compound and they had proven that there are landmines buried in the ground that the drones can set off. They were damn lucky no one was hurt.

“Ai prisa, your arm is bleeding.”

“WHAT?!” Lexa roars as she spins around.

“Easy, sweetheart, it’s just a scratch,” Clarke says as Lexa storms over to them.

“Actually, it’s a piece of metal, Klark,” Anya corrects.

“Oh. Doesn’t hurt. Guess it’s adrenaline,” she mutters.

“I’ve got this.”

Clarke looks up as her mother walks in with her medical bag. Clarke smiles.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“Where else could I be?” Abby asks.

She numbs the wound a little knowing Clarke will feel it in a moment. She then carefully extracts the piece of shrapnel, stitches the wound, and bandages it.

“There. All done.” She looks at the alphas. “She’s all yours.”

She barely gets out of the way before the warriors have their mate in their arms. Clarke pumps out soothing pheromones as they pump out their own scents. After a few moments Clarke hiccups. Lexa leans back enough to see the tears streaming down the omega’s cheeks. Clarke looks up at her.

“I was sure she’d be with him; was sure he’d use her to taunt us,” she blubbers.

Lexa pulls her closer. She also strokes Anya’s cheek, seeing her alpha is also upset for the same reason. She kisses each of them on the forehead.

“I thought the same. It doesn’t mean she’s…gone. I think he’s just holding her back as a last resort. He knows we won’t destroy that bunker while she is in it. They know what we did to the one at Becca’s house. They know we’ll do it to this one, too. But we won’t while she is in there. We would die before killing our daughter,” Lexa purrs to her mates.

Nearby Abby sits in a chair, also terrified for her granddaughter. She wipes her own tears, praying Lexa is right. No one should have to bury their child.

After a few minutes, Clarke eases away. She wipes her tears, smudging her warpaint. She stares at the red on her fingers. She stands up and takes a calming breath.

“Okay. Time to…to regroup and prepare to fight once more. Our daughter and our people need us.”

Anya nods. “Sha, ai prisa, they do.” She moves to the stand with their warpaint on it. “May I- -”

Her words break off as they start to hear cheers going up through the encampment. Could their enemies be surrendering? Did they turn enough of Brother Thomas’ followers that they overthrew the bastard? The triumvirate steps out of the tent and see nothing but cheering warriors. They see some stepping out of the path of someone or something that is out of their sight.

“What the hell?” Anya grumbles.

And then the final group of warriors split apart, and they see their daughter proudly leading two other children towards the command tent.

“KORA!"

Though the alphas are stunned motionless, Clarke breaks into a run and slides to her knees in front of her little girl. She pulls Kora into a tight hug. Kora pats her mother on her back.

“I’m okay, Mama. Ai swega.”

Raven, having been told what the cheering is about, runs to the command tent in time to see Anya and Lexa finally find their legs and race to their child. Soon Kora is patting each of her mothers and telling them she is okay. All three are pumping out pheromones to get rid of the stench of the bunker. Lexa kisses her on the cheek.

“My brave warrior. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too, Nomtu. Um, can you help my friends?”

Lexa looks to the two nervous children. Both bow their heads.

“Hi, Heda. I’m Sven kom Azgeda. This is my sister Meggy.”

Lexa smiles at them. “Hello, Sven, Meggy.”

“Um, Heda, our parents are still in there. Can you rescue them?”

Lexa stands and walks over to them. “I will do my best to do so, Sven. Ai swega.”

“Nomtu, Uncle Bellamy and Aunt Echo are infil- -uh, infil- -um, sneaking in the way we got out,” Kora explains.

Anya cups her cheek. “How  _did_   you get out, Kora?”

Kora explains everything, including using the various tools she’d been given. Raven starts to laugh as it ends.

“Awesome! She’s a Delinquent!”

Clarke grins and kisses Kora’s cheek. “Yes, she seems to be. I am so proud of you, Kora.” She looks to her mother. “Mom, can you check all three over? And, Raven, get them some food.”

Abby nods and precedes the group into the command tent. Raven hurries off to get food for the trio. The triad breathes sighs of relief that their daughter’s only complaints are sore muscles and hunger. And who can blame her for that? Abby offers Anya a jar of liniment and the alpha takes the daughter to their tent next door to help Kora wash up and get her muscles treated. Sven also needs some liniment. Meggy is fine but for dehydration and hunger. Abby smiles at the boy.

“You took good care of your sister.”

He nods. “Father said it was my job.”

“Well, you did a great job.”

She starts to rub the cream into his arms as Raven enters with food. Meggy hurries to the table and starts to eat. She then pauses and looks at Lexa.

“Is okay, Heda?” she asks nervously.

Lexa smiles and nods. “Sha, yongon.”

Meggy smiles and starts to eat. Sven soon joins her, eager for a real meal.

In the commanders sleeping tent, Anya studies the bruises on her daughter. She lets out a low growl.

“I’m sorry you were hurt, Kora. And I’m sorry you had to put your skills to use while so young. But I am so, so proud of you.”

Kora nods. She thinks a second. “Nomon, I hurt someone. I threw my boot dagger at him and it kept him from shooting Uncle Bellamy so I know that’s good. So why does it bother me that I hurt him?” she asks quietly.

Anya places her finger under the girl’s chin and lifts her head to stare into her eyes. “You are a good person, Kora. When a good person hurts someone, even if that person is bad, it hurts the heart. If it ever doesn’t hurt, that’s when you should be worried.”

“Does your heart hurt when you have to do things to people?”

Anya nods. “Sha, it does.”

“How do you make it stop?”

“I remind myself why I had to hurt someone. I only hurt someone who has hurt our people. You hurt that man to protect your uncle. That is a good thing. So when it hurts, think of Bellamy’s smile, his laughter, and how much he loves and is loved by your mama. You did a good thing, ai yongon. A very good thing.”

“Okay,” Kora whimpers.

Then bursts into tears as all the emotions she had been bottling up come bursting out. Anya sets the jar aside and just picks up her girl, hugging her closely and purring to help calm her. A moment later four more arms join hers as now all three mothers comfort their oldest child who has learned the hard way what it means to be a warrior.

And damn it she is too young for this lesson! Time to make Brother Thomas pay for his crimes!

* * *

A little while later, Kora is fast asleep in her parents’ bed. Clarke reluctantly leaves her side to go address her Raiders. They will be the leaders in the attack on the bunker door. As she walks Raven falls into step beside her.

“How’s the strik gona?”

Clarke smiles. “Exhausted but mostly okay. Anya said she broke down a bit because she had to throw her dagger at someone to protect Bellamy and Echo. Hopefully their talk helped and maybe seeing Bellamy later will help, too.”

“Good. I know you rolled your eyes at the gifts we’d given her and, to be honest, we never expected her to use them but…well, fuck, Clarke, I keep thinking what if me and the guys hadn’t given her those things. Shit…” Raven mutters, thinking about the little girl still captive.

Clarke stops and turns to face Raven. “I was pissed about the boot knife. Now I am thankful for it. I was irritated about the lockpick, screwdriver set and even the flashlight because Kora was determined to learn how to use them so she did. No one wanted Kora to use those things but thank the Spirits she had them. I owe all of you all a round or three at the tavern after all this shit is done. And you best make sure all my kids get those same gifts and the same instruction on how to use them, okay?”

Raven grins and nods. “Okay. Still going to hope they never use them.”

“You and me both, Rae.” She gives her a hug. “Thank you for having a hand in saving my daughter.”

Raven chuckles. “I’d say I just had a fingernail in saving her. The rest of the hand was all her. She’s a heck of a kid.”

“Sha, she really is,” Clarke agrees proudly.

As the two split up, Raven walks back towards the tent set up for her to use as a shop. She walks in and is immediately hit with a wave of alpha pheromones.

“Whoa!”

Anya turns from the table holding…well a bunch of metal crap. She bows her head. “Apologies, Raven. I didn’t mean to blast you.”

Raven nods. “Forgiven. I get it, General.”

Anya sits down on a stool. “At the moment I am Anya. I am here to thank you, Raven, for all you taught my daughter and for the tools you and your friends gave her. I know I grumble about you a lot but she’s out of there because of you and your so-called Delinquents. I don’t even know how to thank you enough.”

Raven walks over and shrugs. “I love that kid as if she is my own. I am just so damn happy she’s out of that place and, yeah, feels good I had something to do with it. But it’s like I told Clarke, she’s out of there because she was cool under pressure, didn’t get rattled by obstacles, and showed bravery in the face of untold dangers, not to mention had the guts to save others and get them to safety, too. Sounds a hell of a lot like someone in this tent and that someone sure as hell isn’t me.”

Anya looks up, tears in her eyes. “I was ready to race in there without thinking to get her back.”

“But you didn’t. Truth is, if you didn’t know how good your kid is, you would have done it. Your wolf knew enough to trust that pup to figure things out herself.”

“Yeah…maybe it did.” She stands up. “Um, while I was a little…out of control, I kinda did something that- -”

“I know about the radio. I’ll get it fixed. Heck, better you did that to the radio than one of your warriors, you know?” Raven adds with a grin.

Anya manages a small smile. “Sha, perhaps so.” She pats Raven on the shoulder. “Thank you, Raven, for what you did for my daughter. And, consequently, did for me.”

Raven nods her head. “My honour and pleasure, Anya.”

The two share a quick hug then Anya leaves to see what the next plans are. Once alone, Raven drops down into a chair and rubs her face in her hands.

“Guys, what if we hadn’t given her those things just to annoy Anya,” she mumbles.

Just wait until she tells Monty and Jasper that their gifts did more than they could have ever imagined.


	18. Chapter 18

Bellamy shakes his head as they enter the hallway filled with containment suits. Though these are dusty from lack of recent use he can’t help but momentarily flashback to Mt Weather. Echo grabs his hand.

“It’s not that damn mountain, Bell. And even if it was, we won that day, we’ll win this one,” she says with confidence.

He swallows hard and nods, forcing his mind to forget the hairy moments in Mt Weather and concentrate on the wins. When Echo sees the change in his eyes she looks at everyone else.

“Silent communication only from this point forward. Two squads. First time we’re offered a chance to split up we do so. Key goals: disable any weapons systems they have, including those drones, and second to free any captives, especially the parents of those two kids who helped give us this entry. If we can capture that fuck Brother Thomas without interference, we do so. If not, we leave him knowing Heda and our people will take care of him if we take care of our objectives. Any questions?” No one speaks. “Let’s do this. Kom Heda!”

“KOM HEDA!” the men echo Echo.

At her nod, Bellamy opens the door and the group bursts into the filtration center ready for anything. But no one is there, telling them they either don’t know the kids escaped or have no idea how the kids got out. As they exit the room, Echo’s team goes left, Bellamy’s team goes right.

About five minutes later, Bellamy grins and points to the door ahead. His team smiles as they read the sign.

**Armory: Authorized Personnel Only**

Bellamy tries the door but is not surprised it’s locked. He steps back and one man steps forward with a lockpick and quietly, quickly gets the door unlocked. Azgeda assassins are well-trained. Bellamy holds up three fingers. Two. One. He throws the door open and two men race in. Again, no one. The whole team goes inside and closes the door behind them. Bellamy’s jaw is hanging open as he looks at row upon row of automatic weapons.

“No fucking wonder the government was watching them,” he states.

“Sir, what is this?” one man asks.

Bellamy walks over and studies the items laid out on a table. He reads the word on one and growls.

“These are the landmines they were setting off with the drones. My guess is these are replacements for those that they set off to drive our people back.”

“When would they place them?”

“Tonight when it’s dark.” He points to some goggles on the wall. “Those are night vision goggles. They won’t need flashlights to see.”

“Jok,” the man mutters. “Are we sure these aren’t the Maunon?”

Bellamy nods. “Same type of asshole for sure. Only the Maunon didn’t hide they were assholes. This guy is trying to come off as some benevolent leader just trying to protect his people. He’s making us the aggressors.”

“Can we destroy these things? Or disable them?” another warrior asks.

Bellamy shakes his head. “I don’t know them well enough to try. But let’s see if we can do something to- -”

Before he finishes, they hear the sounds of keys jangling outside the door. He motions for everyone to hide and gets to where he is behind the door. It opens and two people walk in, heading straight for the landmines. He kicks the door closed and steps up behind the second man, his rifle at the man’s head.

“Don’t. Move.” He orders.

Both men freeze and slowly lift their hands in the air. Bellamy signals to two of his men who quickly frisk the men then hold them as Bellamy stares at them.

“Do you have any other armory?”

Both men are silent.

“You can answer the questions or die silently. Your choice. Either way, you don’t get out of here alive,” he tells them.

He studies the men. One man remains stoic. The other’s eyes start to dart around nervously. Bellamy nods.

“Okay then. We’ll split them up. Take that one,” he points to the stoic one “to the back corner and see if he will talk. I’ll chat with this one.”

The remaining man looks even more fearful when 4 Azgeda warriors drag the other one away. Bellamy steps closer.

“I can smell your fear, beta,” he growls, pumping a little at him. “How do we disarm these and any others out there?”

The man remains silent but for a slight whimper.

“Look, I can see you’re not as vested in this shit as the other guy. You don’t want people to die, neither yours nor mine. No one else needs to die. Do you really know what Brother Thomas is doing? He’s condemning all of you. Don’t tell me you and your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents survived Armageddon only for you to throw it all away for that nutjob.”

The man whimpers. “He’s…he’s my uncle. He said we are the chosen ones.”

“Chosen for what? Murder? Death? Come on, man, think for yourself! With a single word, I can stop the attack that will end your people. If you don’t do it for yourself, do it to stop him! Even his own daughter has seen he is not worth following!”

The man shakes his head. “No…no Hella was just confused by your people. That’s all!”

“Really? Did he tell you we killed her? Did he mention he left her behind when he ran to save his life? Think about it: she was bound to that cart and could have been killed easily but he left her. She is alive. She’s seen that the thousands of people in the Coalition are NOT enemies. Surely some of your spies have defected, right?”

“Brother Thomas said their minds were corrupted by evil.”

“Their minds were FREED of his teachings! I am from the sky. When we came down we had a lot of problems because we were arrogant and scared. You are like looking in a fucking mirror! I lost friends to my arrogance. Please don’t make the mistakes I made. Help your people, don’t hurt them.”

The man studies Bellamy carefully. There is an honesty and sincerity in the man’s eyes he did not expect. It hits him that he has never see that same look in the eyes of Brother Thomas.

“My name is Faulk. I’ll help you,” he says, offering his hand.

Bellamy shakes it. “Thank you. Now, about these mines…”

* * *

Becca slowly looks around. She has never been here before but knows immediately it is the throne room in Polis. As she comes around to the throne she sees an angry Lexa sitting upon it.

“You left out key information, Becca. You will not do so now,” Lexa growls.

Becca steps towards the Heda that she had always known was the most powerful in body and mind. Twice now she had called the first Heda into a conference. The first time she had done so while drugged. Truthfully, the fact that Lexa had been able to send Clarke into the lab in the City of Light had also been an incredible display of power. Becca drops to a knee in front of her successor.

“I didn’t leave it out, Heda. I simply didn’t have time to tell you.”

“BULLSHIT! Why is this bunker so close to your home? Why is it so close to your own bunker?”

Becca drops her eyes to the ground. “The first leader of this group…was my father.”

Lexa nods, having suspected as much. “And did you share his views?”

Becca huffs. “Obviously not! I was a scientist! I was all about using technology to make the world better. In doing so I…I proved my father was right and destroyed the world. I’m not sure he was happy about being right.”

“You never contacted him when you returned to Earth?”

“No. I had no way to do so. All I did was make sure the vents that kept air flowing into the bunker were okay. It was all I could do. I found my own friend in our bunker, dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. I gave him a proper burial. I then used my lab to perfect the serum used to help fight radiation; the serum that eventually gave the world you.”

Lexa studies the woman. She slowly shakes her head. “I don’t believe you.”

Becca looks up, desperation in her eyes. “I have no reason to lie to you, Lexa.”

“Why were you burned at the stake?”

“Because those I saved figured out I was the one that lead them into Hell.”

Lexa thinks about that a moment. “No…not that’s not reason enough. Why kill the woman saving them? Why kill the woman…” and then it hits her. “They found out about the bunker. They saw it as a place that could save them but you refused to let them in. What happened? Did your father or others venture out? Kora told me about the strange suits. Those were containment suits like the Maunon used. Were you caught with some of those people? Speak true, Becca.”

Becca wipes a tear from her cheek. “Yes,” she whispers. “They begged me to get the children into the safety of the bunker. My father refused. He slammed the door on them and me. Soon after, I paid for his arrogance.”

“And your own in creating A.L.I.E.,” Lexa reminds her.

“Yes, and my own,” Becca admits. She looks around. “So what does any of that matter? My father is long dead. I don’t know the new leader. How can I help you?”

“My daughter escaped via a vent that wasn’t on your schematic.” She stands walks forward. The throne room morphs into the laboratory that was blown up after the City of Light fiasco. “Give me the real schematic, Becca. Give me a way to save my people without innocents dying.”

Becca sadly nods. She gets up and goes to her computer and starts to type. A piece of paper prints out and Lexa looks it over, seeing the added portals for vents, chimneys, and water collection. She looks up.

“Thank you, Heda.”

Becca shakes her head. “I was never Heda, Lexa. I was simply the first leader. You, Lexa, are the first true Heda. You were the one that saw what the people needed and then delivered it.”

“I couldn’t have done it without you bringing people together with your medicine and your creation of a common language. Now with your help, hopefully I can preserve our world once more.”

Becca smiles. “You will, Lexa. I know you will.”

Lexa closes her eyes.

She opens them to find herself in the command tent as night is beginning to fall. She stands up and goes to the table. Grabbing a pencil she starts to draw in the other openings that were not on the original schematic. Clarke just watches her until Lexa places the pencil down.

“What did you find out?”

“There are vents, like the one Kora came out of, that will give us more access and a greater chance to keep our people alive and convince his people to surrender and join us.”

Clarke smiles and wraps her arms around her alpha’s waist. “Then it was a journey well taken, Heda.”

Lexa leans her forehead against Clarke’s. “Kora is still okay?”

“Sha. Still sleeping last I looked in on her. Mom is with her in case she needs anything.”

Lexa nods and looks to Clarke’s freshly bandaged arm. “And you, hodnes?”

“I’m fine. Really. Not much worse than a splinter,” she assures her mate.

Lexa chuckles. “Right. And if I had the injury you’d be worried.”

Clarke shakes her head. “Nah. You’re almost as tough as Kora. I know you’d be okay.”

Lexa laughs. She pulls Clarke close again. “Our daughter…she is amazing. You do know she’s getting a medal, right?”

“Sha. From you, the Guard, Azgeda and the Raiders at last count.”

Lexa smiles. “Good. She has always been brave. I don’t think I realized how brave until now. I am so proud of her I could burst. Perhaps I should let your ‘Delinquents’ know I finally forgive them for those gifts.”

Clarke laughs. “Good idea.”

“Kora to Heda, come in Heda,” the walkie talkie on the table squawks.

Lexa smiles and goes to it. “Heda here. Go, strik gona.”

“Grandma said to tell you it would help me get better if you served me dinner in bed.”

Clarke rolls her eyes as Lexa chuckles. She keys the radio. “Well, if that’s what the doctor ordered I will be there soon.”

“Thanks, Heda,” Kora giggles.

Lexa puts the walkie on the table and gestures to the adjusted schematic. “Think you can make some rearrangements?”

Clarke nods. “Sha, Heda. Do you want to coordinate a drop in or use some sort of signal if my Raiders don’t get the door down?”

Lexa thinks a moment. “A signal. We’ll give them the plenty of chances to surrender.”

Clarke nods. Lexa goes off to where meals are being prepared to get a special meal together for Kora. She grins when the camp cook throws in a few extras for the little girl.

“She’s quite the hero, Heda.”

Lexa nods. “Sha, she is. Mochof.”

By the time Lexa gets to her tent, she has received more praise for her daughter than she would have ever imagined. She is sure by the time the story spreads out to the entire Coalition Kora will have brought down the cult single-handedly. She steps to the sleeping area and sees Kora playing cards with Abby.

“A meal fit for a heroine,” Lexa says as she presents the meal to her daughter.

Kora’s eyes widen. “Whoa! That’s a lot!”

Lexa sits on the edge of the bed as Kora takes the plate. She pats her daughter’s leg. “As I walked I was told by more people than I count how proud they are of you. You’ve got quite a few fans, yongon.”

Kora shrugs. “Was just doing the right thing like you always tell me, Nomtu.”

“And you made me so proud. I was so scared when you were kidnapped. If only I had known just how resourceful you were I wouldn’t have worried a bit.”

Abby chuckles. “Yeah, right.”

Lexa grins. “Okay, maybe I still would have worried a little,” she concedes.

“I’m sorry I’m not still protecting my sister and brothers, Nomtu. Maybe you could send me back to- -”

“NO!” Lexa interrupts sharply, then takes a breath to calm herself. “No, little one, you will remain here under the watchful eyes of your grandma and about 20 warriors. Your siblings are okay.” She ruffles Kora’s hair. “Ai swega.”

“Okay. But if you need me to go, I will,” Kora offers.

Lexa smiles at her. “I will remember that, ai yongon.” Lexa stands and kisses her on the head. “I need to go so we can put an end to this. I love you, Kora. So very much.”

“I love you, too, Nomtu.”

Lexa smiles at Abby. “Thank you for staying with her.”

“My absolute pleasure,” Abby replies, smiling at her brave little granddaughter.

* * *

Echo nods to her man who quickly picks the lock. They hurry into the room and see a naked woman strapped to a table. Echo walks right up to her.

“Travers, get a blanket or something,” she orders, wanting to give the woman some dignity. “Who are you?”

The woman is very weak. “Shanon kom Azgeda.”

“I thought so. Your children are safe.” The woman’s eyes show relief. Echo looks around. “What the hell is this place? A hospital?”

Shanon shakes her head. “Said they were…were purifying me.” She holds up her arm which has an IV in it. “Cleaning…my blood and body for…for something.”

Echo’s stomach clenches. Shanon is being prepared to be killed and made into food. Plan is changing! She studies the IV set up and closes off the port extracting blood. Based on the flow they have less than 5 minutes for the rest of the blood to go back into her. She looks at her men.

“Keep an eye on the hallway. If anyone comes in, don’t let them out. We don’t kill them. We make them face Heda and our king.”

Her team nods and moves to where they won’t be easily seen through the small window in the door. Echo moves to a work station and sees notebooks, memory sticks, and other recording devices. She searches a closet until she finds a bag and takes everything she can. She tosses the bag to one of her men. Skaikru can use this to help anyone that needs help and Heda can use it to press charges against the assholes using their people as food.

When Shanon has gotten all her blood back, Travers gets the woman on his back and the group moves out. Time to find Shanon’s husband. They haven’t gone far when an alarm starts to sound.

“Fuck. They know we’re in here,” Echo guesses. “Let’s get someplace to wait and observe.”

“But my husband!” Shanon protests.

“We’ll do him no good if we’re dead,” Echo points out. They go into the next room they find and lock the door behind them. It looks to be a storage closet of some sort. Echo starts to look around. She recognizes the names on some of the boxes inside.

“Son of a bitch…knockout gas, tear gas, smoke bombs. Of all the damn places to hide, we find the one they may need to protect themselves from our forces.” She waves her people away from the door. “To the very back! They’ll take the closest items first. Build a barricade to conceal us for now,” she orders.

In no time they are hidden behind a box wall. Echo says a silent prayer to the Spirits that her mate is not the reason for the alert.

“Please be okay, Bell,” she whispers as she rubs her mating bite.

* * *

Bellamy is urging his people to get through the door that would seal the filtration room. Just as he is about to go through, a gunshot rings out and he falls. The damn bullet had found the cloth below the Kevlar shield. Fucking perfect. One of his men tries to come back for him.

“NO! GO!” Bellamy orders.

The man growls but follows orders, sealing the door from the other side. Hands grab Bellamy and drag him to his feet. The curly-haired man groans in pain from the bullet wound in his side. They cuff his hands behind him and then he is dragged from the room right to the command center of the bunker. Bellamy is dropped at the feet of Brother Thomas. The man steps forward and places his foot on the bloody wound.

“FUCK!” Bellamy screams.

“Now, now…such language,” Brother Thomas scolds. “They say telling the truth can unburden the soul and heal you. So tell me, son, how many of you are trespassing in my home?”

“My…men…got out, motherfucker,” Bellamy grunts, cussing just to see if it pisses the man off.

It does. Brother Thomas increases his pressure on the wound. Bellamy howls in pain.

“Speak true and without cursing or this will only get more painful for you,” the bastard warns.

Bellamy is shivering in pain. He looks the psychotic man right in the eyes.

“Go fuck yourself,” he grunts out.

This time the pressure is so great, Bellamy passes out. Brother Thomas looks at him a moment.

“There is a cross outside the main door, right?”

“Yes, sir,” a man answers.

“Strip off his shirt so they see his wound and bind him to it. They move on us, he dies first. If they try a siege, they can watch him die slowly. Their choice,” Brother Thomas orders. As Bellamy is dragged off, Thomas looks at another man. “The woman has had enough time to be purified. Prepare her. She will be our feast before the fight.”

The man nods his head and goes to kill Shanon kom Azgeda. Brother Thomas turns and looks at the screens coming to life as drones are launched into the air. He sees the savages shifting positions.

“Shift all you want. You will still lose this day. Oh, yes, no matter what happens, you. Will. Lose.


	19. Chapter 19

Clarke is watching through her own set of night vision binoculars. She growls as she sees people quickly resetting landmines. Her Raiders will need to step carefully when they approach in the wee small hours of the morning. The plan is to advance at 4 a.m. By then their enemy will assume they are waiting for sunrise. At each vent, their troops had found the service entrance and simply await the call to rip the door from the hinges and advance into the bunker.

Wanheda’s Raiders would advance on foot towards the bunker door. She sees movement near the main door and tries to see what a group of people are doing. Before they give her a good view of their actions, her alarm chimes.

“Fuck,” she mumbles. She hands the binoculars to Tank. “Something going on by the door. Keep an eye on that as well as where people are placing those mines. We’ve got to walk through that crap soon.”

“Sha, Wanheda,” Tank responds and starts to watch their enemy.

Clarke backs off the line and reports to the command tent. By now all runners should be back with word their troops are in position. Time to finalize the assault plans. She walks into the tent and growls at the heightened pheromones in the air. Lexa, Anya and Echo look up as she enters. Clarke stops just inside the door.

“What the hell is going on?”

Echo turns to her. “The bastards have Bellamy.”

“WHAT?!” Clarke screams, stomping forward.

“They were escaping the way we got in. They fired at his team. Sounds like it got him just below the Kevlar along his side,” the assassin reports. “He ordered his men out. I didn’t know until I was out. We were chased to the exit. We couldn’t go back for him.”

Clarke stares at the woman who gives this report on her own mate as if she is talking about just another warrior. The omega feels more than sees the turmoil hidden by the stoic façade. She steps closer and places a hand on Echo’s shoulder.

“We’ll get him out, Echo. I know we will.”

“That sort of confidence flies in the face of convention,” Echo states robotically.

Clarke manages a small smile. “So does an omega from space becoming Wanheda.”

Echo stares a moment then almost grins. “Very true.” She turns to Lexa. “Where do you want my team?”

“With Roan. You’re not just an assassin, you’re his Royal Guard captain. Be at his side,” Lexa tells her.

Echo nods and takes her leave. Lexa turns to her omega.

“Well?”

“Landmines being replaced as we speak, just as you expected. There was some more movement near the main door but I couldn’t see what it was. Tank is keeping an eye on things,” she says.

Lexa nods. “Okay. And your people know what they face?”

“Sha, Heda. We will do our job,” Clarke replies.

“Good.” She walks over to the table where a bunch of bags sit. “Bellamy’s team was able to find some weapons. Echo’s team found some grenades, gas bombs, other items we can use. Outfit your men as you see fit.”

“Knockout gas would be best,” Clarke notes. “If we can knock out the guards there maybe we don’t have to worry about an all-out assault inside the bunker. Since they found Bellamy’s team at that vent there’s a chance they will have others covered and will fire as soon as they see our troops inside.”

Lexa nods. “I know. It’s back to the raid on the Maunon. They know they lay of the land, we don’t.”

“But we have the gas now,” Anya points out. “If that precedes our troops it will give us an advantage. Unless they have discovered it missing, they won’t know to have gasmasks on.”

Lexa nods. “True. Our commanders will be here soon.” She starts to pace. “My General and my Wanheda, there is a possibility of high numbers of dead from this advance. Are we still sure there’s no other way?”

Anya and Clarke exchange a look. So far talking hadn’t helped as their opposition leader is a sociopath. Clarke walks over to look at the map on the table. Is there anything they have missed? Anya hurries over and slides it a bit to get a better look at it.

“Klark, if we were to open the knockout gas cannisters near the intake vents, would it put everyone inside to sleep?”

Clarke thinks about it then shakes her head. “No. Those intakes then go through filtration systems. Even if some gas got into the air at most it would make them dizzy and alert them of our advantage. They would don masks and even turn off the air for the moment.”

Anya grunts and leans onto the table with both hands. “Jok,” she mutters.

Lexa pats her on the back. “Good idea, niron.”

The three stare at the map until Indra enters. They then exchange a look and nod. They proceed as planned.

* * *

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY ARE BOTH GONE, SIMON?!”

The man cowers as Brother Thomas screams at him. Not even a member of the inner circle wants to incur the man’s wrath. Thomas grabs the man by the shirt.

“If you hadn’t been out among that filth we’d use you next!” he growls.

The beta man cowers. Thomas tosses him to the side and looks at the rest of his closest advisors. All are either betas or omegas to make sure he has complete power over them. Unbeknownst to most, anytime an alpha has presented, that man or woman has been given a suppressant to make sure they would not become more powerful than their supreme leader.

“Do we have any other fresh meat ready?” he asks with false calmness.

The already scared man shakes his head. “No, sir. We’d have to cull from within again.”

One woman steps forward nervously. “Sir…perhaps we don’t need that protein supplement any longer. Our people have been out with the heathens and- -”

“And those that didn’t get regular infusions of blessed meat turned on us!” he screams. “On the eve of battle do you want to risk turncoats? DO YOU, RUTH?!”

Ruth cowers at the blast of pheromones. “No, sir! My apologies, sir!” she whimpers.

Brother Thomas stomps back and forth; a caged bull ready to explode. A couple of his people try to pump out soothing pheromones but he’s not having any of that. A couple of blasts by him and they stop.

“Get a teenager,” he grumbles.

His inner circle exchanges looks.

“Ex…excuse me, sir?” Simon asks.

“A teenager! Get some worthless omega. All of them for all of us! Tell them they are being asked to give themselves for the greater good of the Children of Aseity. It is an honour for them to die for us. DO IT!”

Simon hurries out. When he gets to an area where he knows the cameras no longer work he pauses, leaning against the wall.

“How can this really be the way? How?” he mumbles to himself.

After a few minutes to gather himself he moves on to try to follow the directive of his leader.

* * *

The commanders are nearly ready to report to their troops when one of Clarke’s Raiders runs in. Clarke looks up sharply at the interruption.

“What’s the meaning of this?”

“Apologies, Heda, Wanheda.” He looks to Clarke. “The commotion in front of the door was Bellamy. They’ve stripped off his shirt to show his wound is untreated and they bound him to a cross like you were once on, Heda.”

“Son of a BITCH!” Clarke screams. “If we attack, he’s in the middle of it all. If we don’t free him, he bleeds to death. FUCK!”

Roan steps towards Lexa. “Heda, let me send my assassins back in. They can get to him before Wanheda’s Raiders advance.”

Lexa leans on the table as she considers the plan and how this development will change things. How will sending Echo and her team back in affect it? How will leaving Bellamy to die a slow, painful death affect it? She lets out a low growl.

“No change to the main attack. Roan, send them. They have until 3 a.m. to get into position. When the advance starts, they need to use the confusion of the first few moments of battle to free him…or put him out of his misery.”

Roan nods his head. “Sha, Heda. Mochof.”

Lexa nods. “Everyone go. Be ready to go when you see the Raiders advancing. We strike fast, we strike hard, we save as many innocents as possible. If someone fires at you, fire back, they are NOT innocent. KOM POLIS!” she shouts.

“KOM POLIS!” they echo the cheer that stands for the united Coalition.

Lexa and Clarke exchange a quick look. Clarke nods her approval of the Heda’s plan. She goes out to report to her men, let them know to be aware of Bellamy’s rescuers, but to otherwise proceed as planned.

* * *

Bellamy moans as he is once more jarred awake. Each time he had passed out from pain and blood loss, he had been ripped out of that glorious moment of peace by a jab to the wound. In his mind, he prays Echo never knows what’s going on. In his heart, he prays she defies the odds and rescues him.

He stares up at the sky. The silhouettes of tree limbs, naked to the winter sky, point him toward the stars. For many years while growing up he had stared out glass windows at those stars, looking down on a green Earth and wondered what it looked like in person. So recently he had stared down again, praying to return to the ground that had become home more so than the Ark where he had been raised.

“ _Mom, help me. Don’t let Echo or O do anything dumb. Please help them keep their heads. No one should die for me_ ,” he prays silently.

Almost as if to acknowledge his prayer a distant red light starts to enter the clearing among the branches. He chuckles, realizing it is the docking station for the prison ship.

“Figures…I live to get off that fucking thing…and I die staring up at it,” he mumbles as he passes out once more.

This time jabbing his wound does not wake him no matter how many times his captors try.

* * *

Indra is going over the plans with one of her lieutenants when Octavia walks up.

“You wished to see me, Fos?”

Indra nods for her warriors to leave. “Sha, Seken.” She turns to her. “Bellamy was captured.”

“WHAT!?”

“He has been placed on a X frame like Heda was. He is right outside their door. Echo and her assassins are making their way to where they can go for him when the battle starts.”

Octavia is vibrating with fear and anger in equal measure. She clenches and unclenches her fists, ready to storm across the open battlefield to rescue her brother. Indra studies her carefully.

“Go, Octavia, and join the Raiders. See to your brother’s safe return,” she orders.

Octavia’s eyes dart from Indra to the ground and back again several times. Finally, she shakes her head.

“No, General. My team expects me to help them in the bunker the way I helped them in the Mountain. Clarke and Echo will rescue Bellamy. I trust them,” she states.

Indra’s eyes shine with pride. “Good. Go. We move in soon.”

“Sha, Wormana.”

Octavia hurries back to the vent shaft she will drop into to make sure her men get in through the main grate. Yes, she is terrified but she knows her brother would be more disappointed if she abandoned her men for him.

“You better not make me regret this, Bell,” she mumbles into the night air.

She gets to the vent and gets a rope tied around her waist. Two men are ready to pull off the vent cover and lower her down. The rest of her men stand at the grate, hoping to either meet her inside or be allowed entry by her. She had proven herself in the Mountain and they know she will prove herself once more!

* * *

Brother Thomas addresses his inner council.

“My children, the time has come. When the sun rises we will face our enemy head on. We will show them that they must follow our ways or perish. Do not fear this confrontation. Today we use the weapons of our forefathers for the last time. Today we end the belief that we need anything from before the fall. Our people, and any of our enemies who live, will see that Divine Simplicity is the only way to truly live.”

He smiles as he sees them nodding in agreement. These are his diehards. These are the ones that will order others to die for him. These are the ones that will give of themselves with their last breath.

“You, my brothers and sisters, are the true architects of this great new world we are about to create. You know sacrifice has been our way for many years. It has also been our strength. By making our own people part of our diet, my great-grandfather knew that would endow us with the strength of all our generations. They came down here when they saw what the world was to become. Their foresight saved us and brought us to this day; this day of reckoning. For though we are few, we move with the might of THE DIVINE SPIRIT!”

He throws his hands in the air and his people cheer. The more he had talked, the more they had believed. The more he had pumped out his pheromones, the more they had become enthralled by their alpha. Little did they know the food and drink they supped upon was laced with his essence, making them more susceptible to his words and control. He nods towards the door and a man enters carrying a freshly prepared roast.

“My friends. May we honour the sacrifice of our own that they may live through us. All of them for all of us.”

“All of them for all of us,” they repeat.

The meat is quickly carved and doled out to each person. With each bite they repeat the mantra of “All of them for all of us.”

Ruth carefully leans over to Simon as he sits to eat. “Did you…really kill a child?”

Simon mutters the mantra and takes a bite. He leans towards her. “No. It’s boar meat.”

Ruth sighs in relief. Simon just continues to eat, keeping one eye on their leader to make sure Brother Thomas does not catch on to the ruse. When the meat is gone, Brother Thomas stands once more.

“Go, my children, and rest. We will awake an hour before dawn and leave this bunker never to return.”

They all cheer and start to file out.

“Oh, Simon?”

The man stops nervously. He turns and forces a smile to his face. “Yes, Brother Thomas?”

“Well done,” the cult leader praises.

Simon bows his head in relief. “Thank you, sir.”

He hurries out. Brother Thomas gestures for his head of security. “Kill him. We’ll eat him for our victory supper. That was not fresh human.”

The man nods. “Thy will be done, Brother Thomas.”

* * *

Echo eases down the hill. Everything in her tells her to run to her mate but luckily one voice in her head reminds her that to rush in guarantees his death. When she can go no further without alerting their foes she stops and hunkers down to await the appointed time.

“ _Come on, time, move faster_ ,” she grumbles to herself.

From this vantage point she can see the top of the X but not her mate. She rubs the mating bite on her neck. It aches. And as long as it aches, he is alive. She can feel him in a way she can’t even explain. She glances into the air as she hears the sounds of several drones taking flight.

“Jok…if they have infrared they will see us,” she mumbles. She makes eye contact with her team, wordlessly telling them to get ready.

They nod in understanding. War is upon them.

* * *

Anya ties a rope around her waist. She studies the vent that had been the escape route for her daughter. There is a good chance this hallway is now guarded.

“Are you sure you want to be the one to go, General,” Henry asks her.

“Sha. I will send no one else into a trap,” she answers.

She is still waiting for the right time when she hears the drones.

“Jok, they have sent up their fucking drones,” she mutters. She looks to her men. “Get ready.”

As soon as she hears Clarke fire her gun, Anya pulls her own. Henry looks at her in shock as she hurries forward and dives into the vent. As her upper body clears the duct, she fires on the three men at the end of the hallway.

They are dead before they even know they are being invaded. She hears her men enter the tunnel and they start forward. Time to end this!

* * *

Clarke squats down in front of her Raiders, her night vision binoculars scanning the bunker door area. She growls when she sees the condition of her best friend. It is all she can do to keep from firing on the people that keep jabbing the wound in Bellamy’s side.

“Sickass motherfuckers,” she mutters. She stiffens when she sees figures on the hilltop above the door. They are creeping slowly down the hill. “Hello, Azgeda,” she whispers.

As soon as Echo’s team is settled in, Clarke checks her watch. She has two minutes. She pulls out her gun and lifts her right arm. She hears her men tense, ready to hurry forward at her command.

And then she hears the buzzing of the drones.

“Son of a bitch…they’ve seen us,” she mutters.

She watches for the red lights, takes aim and fires at one, dropping it from the sky. The warriors of the Coalition take this as a go sign. She hears the Berzerker yell as everyone advances. She and her Raiders also race forward. She shoots down two more drones just before they reach the minefield.

And then her heart stops when she sees an explosion right by Bellamy.

“Oh my God…they killed him…”


	20. Chapter 20

Brother Thomas has just laid down in bed when the bunker alarms start to sound. He leaps up. “NO! BASTARDS!”

He throws on his clothes, cursing the heathens for attacking in the middle of the night. He should have known they had no respect for the courtesies of war. (Whatever those are!) He storms into the command center.

“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?”

The man at the command desk cowers. “Sir, they are attacking. We sent up drones to see where they had settled after all that movement. The one leading those towards our front door shot three of them down. When she fired, they just started…started attacking!”

Brother Thomas stares at the screens. He screams in frustration when he sees Anya kill the men he had stationed in the filtration repair tunnel. He then sees others dropping into other maintenance tunnels and opening the grates to allow others inside.

“NO! NO! NO! NO! That’s not FAIR!” he screams.

Two of his diehards run into the center. “Sir, we need to get you out of here. The impure have entered the facility! They will be here soon!”

Brother Thomas rips at his hair, trying to figure out when it had all gone wrong. They are the chosen ones! They are the inheritors of the world! They are the anointed leaders!

“Sir, please!” the second man begs.

Brother Thomas stares at the screens. There has to be a way to salvage victory. There  _has_   to be!

* * *

Lexa has just arrived at the grate leading to a tunnel right by the bunker command center. She nods to Captain Miller, one of the armed Skaikru assigned to her team. Every infiltration team has several armed Skaikru guards with them to help even up the fight inside. If all goes well this surprise attack will lead to swift victory with little loss of life.

“Ready, Captain?” she asks the man.

“Ready, Heda,” he replies.

She settles in to wait…and then hears Clarke fire. Her armies scream in reply. She pulls her sword. Time to fight! She stares through the grate until she sees a wiry young warrior drop down into the tunnel. He races to the grate and opens it from the inside.

“KOM WAR!” she yells and races into the tunnel.

Miller and one of his other guards immediately get ahead of her, guns at the ready. When they get to the sealed door leading into the main facility, two large men step forward and turn the crank to open it. They shove the door open and Miller leaps through.

No one awaits them.

But sirens are blaring so they know they will not be without contact long. He leads them out of that hallway and to the right, aiming for the command center and, hopefully, a meeting with Brother Thomas. Lexa growls in anticipation of meeting the man that ordered her children taken!

* * *

Anya and her team aim for the armory they had been told about. If these sirens are any indication, that is where they will find most of their adversaries. As they move around a corner, they see a group of people running towards them. They all stop and stare at each other.

“You won’t win,” Anya tells them from between 2 Skaikru gunmen. “Surrender and face a chance at living the rest of your lives in peace.”

She hears arrows notch behind her. She sees the people in front of her looking scared, confused.

“But…but Brother Thomas said you want to kill us. That you’ve been planning our annihilation for years,” one man states.

Anya shakes her head and lowers her gun. “Death has taken too many of us the last 100 years, wouldn’t you say? We didn’t even know you were here, how could we plot to kill you?”

He exchanges looks with those around him. One man shoves him from behind.

“Don’t listen to her! She lies! Heathens always lie!”

Anya lifts an eyebrow. “If we are heathens, why haven’t we fired on you?”

More nervous looks are exchanged. They had not had a chance to get armed. Had the heathens wanted, they could have easily killed them already. A woman steps forward.

“Alistair was right! They are not evil! They are just surviving like we are, only they are doing it in the fresh air,” she whispers to her group.

The one angry man slaps her. “SHUT UP! You know Alistair was a traitor! He was sent out there to help us and he- -”

“Do you mean Alistair with the blonde hair and blue eyes? About my height?” one of Anya’s men asks.

The group looks at him. The lady nods. “Yes. He was my brother.”

The warrior’s shoulder’s drop. “Was? Damn. He was a good man; a friend. Now I understand why he asked so many questions about life in Polis. He wasn’t from Shallow Valley, he was from here and heard things he knew were lies. I’d give my life for my Heda and my people but prefer the peace she has brought us. Alistair enjoyed it, too.”

“He did,” the woman agrees. “He told us all about his life in Polis and how much he enjoyed the things he saw. But Brother Thomas called him a traitor because Al spoke of the technology your Heda approved of; claimed Al was forgetting our teachings.” She swallows hard. “He executed Alistair, making him give all of himself for all of us,” she finishes sadly.

Anya’s eyes narrow. “What does that mean? All of him for all of you?” she asks though she has a suspicion.

“None of your business, Savage!” the one angry man yells.

He lifts up a large pipe and races towards Anya. She rolls her eyes and hears her men chuckle at the ridiculous act. As soon as he is close enough, she drops low and does a leg sweep, taking him to the ground. She steps on his hand to make him drop the bar.

“Tie him up,” she orders her men, who gladly do so. She looks to the others. “Return to your rooms. We’ll let you know when you can safely exit.”

The people nod and hurry back down the hallway. One warrior finds a closet and shoves the bound man inside. They’ll deal with him later.

Anya and her team continue towards the armory, hoping to meet up with two other strike teams along the way.

* * *

Echo had seen the explosion beside Bellamy and that’s the only signal she needs. “ATTACK!”

Her assassins drop down the mound, quickly taking out the handful of guards near that door. She runs to the X and starts to cut the bonds holding her mate to the structure. Two of her men help her ease him to the ground.

“Bell, you with me,” she asks, feeling his neck for a pulse.

She breathes a sigh of relief when she finds it, faint but there. She hears the sounds of a few landmines going off but then the Raiders are beside her. Clarke drops down, a medical kit already in her hand. Without a word she immediately starts to pack the wound. She then pulls out a syringe Echo recognizes and uses a horribly small amount to stop the weak blood flow.

“He’s lost a hell of a lot of blood,” Clarke points out needlessly. “We’ll never get him back to Mom in time. Plus this damn place probably has a medical facility better than her med tent.”

Echo nods at the implication. Four men step forward and lift Bellamy up. Clarke looks at Echo.

“Want to lead us in?”

Echo’s eyes shine with anger. “Sha, Wanheda.”

Clarke walks over and sees her Skaikru guard applying some of the C-4 that had come off the tower. Seems only right to return it to the owners.

“5 seconds,” the man says.

“BACK UP!” Clarke orders.

He hits the button to start the countdown and also takes cover. As soon as the door locks explode, Echo races forward, Clarke right with her. Two men yank open the heavy door and let their leaders race in. As expected, there is little resistance inside. Their foes had mistakenly assumed a morning attack, as Heda had hoped. Knowing their other teams will take care of the Children of Aseity, Clarke and Echo lead their teams to the place marked as the medical facility on the schematic they had seen. As they enter the room they see a man moving supplies around.

“FREEZE!” Clarke screams, leveling her gun at him.

The man throws his hands in the air, dropping the boxes of bandages he had on the ground. The men carrying Bellamy carefully place the alpha on the table. The doctor takes a step towards him but Clarke cocks her gun.

“BACK OFF!”

The man stares at Clarke, looks to Bellamy, then back to Clarke. “I’m a doctor. I believe in my oath to first do no harm. Let me help him.”

“Wanheda is a trained healer. She can help him,” Echo spits at the man.

Clarke thinks a moment then lowers her gun. “He’d be a better choice. I’ll assist him until my mother gets here.”

Echo lets out a low growl, reluctantly agreeing to have her enemy treat her mate. Clarke and the doctor step to the table.

“He need a transfusion,” the doctor notes.

“Sha, he does. And fluids. I’ll start the IVs. Do you have A+ blood?” Clarke asks.

The man nods. “I do. I’ll- -”

“NO!” Echo screams. “You will not use your blood in him!”

Clarke looks at her. “Echo, we need to get some in him. We can’t wait for- -”

Monroe steps forward, shouldering her rifle and pulling up her sleeve. “I’m A+. Take mine,” she insists.

Clarke looks from the guard to Echo, who gives a brisk nod. “Fine. Let’s do this,” Clarke replies.

While the doctor starts saline, Clarke sets up a direct transfer from Monroe to Bellamy. Once those things are done, the doctor starts to assess the wound.

“Bullet is still in there.” He looks at Clarke. “Ever done surgery?”

Clarke nods. “I have.”

“Then let’s do this and save his life.”

Clarke looks to Echo. “We’ll do everything we can for him. Ai swega. For now, go make sure my mother can get here with no problem.”

Echo leans over and kisses Bellamy on the forehead. “Ai hod yu in, Bellamy,” she whispers.

She then takes her team to go clear the path to the bunker for Abby. Sure, Echo will let this doctor help for now but she will be much happier when the Skaikru healer is the one in charge.

* * *

Lexa and her men storm into the command center. She levels her sword at the man sitting at the control panel.

“Where’s Thomas?” she demands.

He shakes his head, fear in his eyes. “I don’t know! I swear I don’t know! He and the others were headed to the escape tunnel!”

Lexa steps closer. “WHERE IS IT?!” she shouts, blasting the man so hard with pheromones he falls out of his chair to the ground.

He puts his hands over his head as if he expects her to kick him. “I don’t know! Only his inner circle would know where that is! I swear!”

Lexa lets out a low growl. “Were you one of the bastards that kidnapped my daughter?”

“No! No, that would have been one of his Archangels…his special soldiers,” the man whimpers.

Lexa studies the man and realizes he’s too scared to lie. She grabs him by the collar and bowls him across the floor out of the way. She looks to one of her men.

“If he tries to run, shoot him.”

The warrior nods, “Sha, Heda.” He levels an arrow at the man.

Lexa steps to the screens Captain Miller is staring at and starts to glance at each. She sees her people meeting with little resistance when they run into pockets of the cultists. Unfortunately, she doesn’t see Brother Thomas and his escape route.

“Figures. They would not have a camera on it,” she mutters.

Captain Miller nods, having deduced the same thing. “Sha, Heda.”

Lexa turns and goes to the man by the wall. “You all have hiding places outside the bunker, don’t you? Other places to store food, arms, anything you might need should you have to abandon this place, right?”

“Yes,” he nods.

“Where are they?”

The man looks terrified. “I don’t know. I swear, I don’t know. On my wife and kids, I don’t know.”

Lexa growls. They had left a lackey behind. She turns back to the monitors and can only hope her people find someone that can help them end this cult once and for all.

* * *

Octavia and her men stand silently in the room filled with boxes of hand grenades, gasses, landmines. When they hear footsteps running their way she nods to everyone to be ready. Sure enough, keys jangle in the lock and four men run inside. The first man stops with the tip of Octavia’s sword at his throat.

“Hello, boys,” she says with an evil smile.

Her men quickly bind the four men and strip them of the knives and guns they’d had strapped to their thighs. Octavia walks to the man that had held the keys. She uses her sword to trace the patch on his shirt.

“I’m going to assume these bird wings are important. What are they?” she demands.

The man sneers at her. “They are ANGEL wings, you heathen!”

She lifts an eyebrow at him. “Let’s see, my last meal was deer and vegetables grown on the land. My guess your last meal was some human. Which one of us is the angel and who’s the heathen now?”

He spits in her face. “They gave their all for us! It is an honour to be chosen!”

“Really? So you captured a family of four and it was their  _honour_   to be eaten? See, we have all four of them safely out of this hell hole and I promise you, they didn’t think it was a great idea to be tonight’s hamburger dinner, asshole!”

She spins her sword and slams the pommel into his temple, knocking him out. She looks at the other three.

“Where’s Tommy boy?”

The first man stares at her stonily. He also wears the winged emblem. He also gets his ass knocked out. The next man has no patch.

“I’m guessing the patch means something. You don’t have it so you have a choice: join them in oblivion or tell me where we find your leader.”

The man looks at the people on the ground. He looks to the man still beside him, who gives a nervous shrug. He looks back to Octavia.

“Swear to me you will protect my family. My son and I will help but you must protect us,” he pleads.

Octavia narrows her eyes at him. She compares the faces of both men and sees that they could, indeed, be related. She tilts her head to the side contemplatively.

“The final decision is Heda’s but if you speak true I will advocate for you,” she offers.

The man nods. “I will take that chance. By now Brother Thomas and his inner circle are out of the bunker. We expected you all to attack at daylight. We were to get up an hour before sunrise, receive our arms, and hear another ‘rousing’ speech by our leader. More like another call to die for no reason,” he scoffs. He looks at her in desperation. “I didn’t live 52 years underground, my father didn’t DIE underground, for us to lose the chance to survive ON the ground because of that megalomaniac!” he shouts.

Octavia nods. “I feel your pain. Where would he go?”

“There are places outside the bunker that they use for supplies. We would also use them to hide if we were about to be discovered by your people. I…I don’t know all of them.” He nods to the two unconscious men. “Men like them and those in the inner circle would know them all.”

“And he would most likely go to ones only his inner circle would know. Damn it,” she mumbles.

“Octavia, General Anya will get them to talk,” one man states.

Octavia grins. “Hell yeah she will.”

Her team settles in to wait to see if any others report to this armory or for word from Lexa that they have won the day.

* * *

Anya and her team stand in the armory. Four men with the winged emblem are at their feet bound and gagged. Normally she’d try to question them but they were being such assholes she decides to wait. She squats down and uses a dagger to gesture to the patch.

“I don’t know what the bird wings mean but I can assume it means you think you’re important. Keep in mind, you’re here and your darling Brother Thomas is not. That should tell you who  _he_   thinks is important. When I demand answers, you best be willing to give them,” she warns.

At first the men still look defiant. As time goes on and no one comes for them they start to look uneasy. And then the speakers in the room come to life.

“People of the Aseity bunker, this is Heda Lexa of the 13 clan Coalition. Your leader, Brother Thomas, and his inner circle have fled with those he calls his Archangels.”

Anya glances down at her prisoners and sees them exchanging angry glances. She grins, knowing they are mad she is right. Heda continues.

“If you are armed, I ask that you surrender your weapon and yourself to my people. We do not wish to harm you. Like you, we have survived Praim Faya. We have learned to thrive on the ground and invite you to join our clans, become one of my people, and live in peace with us. There is no need to fear us as long as you cooperate with us.” There is a pause as she muffles the mic enough to ask someone a question. “Please, go to your main chapel. There we can speak with you and make decisions for your future with us. I swear to you, no families will be separated but we will be asking you to go to different clans while we help you integrate into our society.”

The speakers snap off. Anya looks at her men.

“Brent, find the chapel. Tell Heda we have four prisoners here.”

One man starts to grunt. Anya squats down and rips out his gag.

“What?” she barks.

The man sighs, his eyes defeated. “Go out the door, turn right. At the third hallway split, go left. Chapel is all the way down that hall. You’ll probably see people going to it.”

“Why should we believe you?”

The man looks up and into her eyes. “Because I don’t wanna die after fighting so long to live.”

Anya nods. She has him moved away from the others when they don’t seem happy about his decision. Brent takes off to let his Heda know about his general’s captives. Anya just leans against the door and stares at the Archangels as she toys with a dagger. They wisely keep their mouths shut.

* * *

Clarke grabs a clamp and passes it off to the doctor.

“His BP is still dropping,” she says.

“I know! We have to get this bleeder cut…ah! Got it!” he celebrates.

Clarke breathes a sigh of relief as Bellamy’s blood pressure stabilizes thanks to the clamped artery.

“I need a suture kit,” the man states.

Clarke grabs one and gets it open. Soon the doctor is sealing off the wound. He wipes his brow with his sleeve.

“Pump some antibiotics into his IV. Neither one of us scrubbed before gloving up,” he says as he starts to carefully extract the bullet.

Clarke nods and does as ordered. Just as the doctor drops the bullet into a pan, Abby hurries in.

“Status!”

“Blood pressure 95 over 60 and rising. No clue on oxygen levels as he was bleeding out so nothing is hooked up,” Clarke reports.

Abby ignores the other doctor and begins to get other monitors onto Bellamy. Soon the room is echoing with the beeps and dings associated with various medical machinery.

“Pulse ox looking good,” Abby reports. “Blood pressure still good. Heart rate steady but low.”

“Good. Give me a second and…suture kit,” the doctor orders.

Clarke quickly gives him another one. He gets his next suture ready.

“Okay, this may pump a bit until I get it set,” he mutters. “Remove the clamp!”

Clarke reaches over and releases the clamp. Blood shoots up, adding a darker red to the warpaint already on her face. Abby pushes gauze at the wound, trying to keep the field clear as possible for the other surgeon. Finally, the blood stops. A few more stitches and all three watch the wound. The man sighs in relief.

“Got it.” He looks to Clarke. “Are you familiar with surgical adhesives?”

Clarke shakes her head in confusion. “No.”

“I got it,” Abby says. “We ran out of this years before Clarke started helping me in the medical ward. Really sucked.”

She uses it to help further seal the wounds to ensure proper healing and blood flow. It will also help dissolve the sutures over time, so no further surgery would be needed. The doctor finishes with the adhesive then starts to close the wound. He glances at Abby.

“Dr. Everett Koop,” he introduces himself. “Look back in history far enough and I am named for an ancestor that was once Surgeon General of the United States.”

Abby nods to him. “Dr. Abby Griffin. Look far enough back in history and I’m just a girl from a long line of doctors that was sent to space to preserve the human race.”

He chuckles. “Good to know.” He looks at Clarke. “And you?”

“Daughter of Dr. Griffin. They call me Wanheda, Commander of Death. You can call me Clarke. Thank you for saving Bellamy.”

“He’s your mate?”

Clarke chuckles. “No. More my brother. My mates are Heda Lexa and General Anya.”

“Ah.” He pulls off his gloves and drops them to the floor. “I know what was done to people and, as much as I hate to admit it, there were things I helped Brother Thomas do. I will tell everything I know and face the consequences for my actions.”

Clarke nods. “Good to know.” She looks at Abby. “Stay with Bellamy. I’ll send in Echo. I’ll take Dr. Koop to Lexa in the chapel.”

Abby nods. Koop had saved Bellamy and, from what she had seen here was a skilled surgeon. But she can’t help but think he was behind the serum and even the cannibalism that sustained his people. She will have to trust Lexa’s judgement on him since she can’t trust her own.

* * *

Brother Thomas stops pacing as one of his men hurries into the cave. “Well?”

“No sign of anyone out there. They didn’t know about this exit,” the man reports.

Thomas looks around at those gathered. His Archangels, minus those that went for extra bombs and guns. Most of his inner circle and their families. The only two missing are Simon, who was in a cooler ready to be prepped to eat, and Dr. Koop, who was most likely surprised while trying to get supplies ready.

“We make a move to Ararat,” Brother Thomas decides. “We move now before they start sending people this way.”

“Then what? We’ve lost our people, we’ve lost our weapons. How do we- -”

Ruth doesn’t finish her question. Brother Thomas shoots her between the eyes.

“Any other questions?” he asks pointedly. His people shake their heads. “Good. Let’s go.”

He gestures to his guards to lead the way. The group sets out in hopes to re-establish a new base and live to fight another day.


	21. Chapter 21

Clarke makes Koop enter the chapel ahead of her. She looks to the front altar and sees her mates are already there. They are speaking with Octavia, who has two of Thomas’ followers with her. Koop smiles.

“I’m glad they are okay,” he whispers.

“Who are they?” Clarke asks.

“A father and son who have been questioning things for a while. Looks like they chose the right side of this battle.”

Clarke nods. “So did you.”

Koop stops and stares at her. “Did I? Honestly, not sure I had a choice. A man was dying and I am a man who heals. Maybe I only chose this path because it was forced on me,” he points out.

“If that was the case, you’d have let Bellamy die. He was closer to death than to life when you started working on him. And you were quick to offer information on Brother Thomas. Something tells me you’ve been looking for some way to end this shit for a long time,” she says to him.

He studies her face for a moment then nods. “I have,” he admits. “But it will never clean the blood off my hands.”

“Maybe not. I have a hell of a lot of blood on mine but I’m still scrubbing,” she tells him.

“You? A lot of blood?”

“I told you I’m the Commander of Death. I earned the name after burning 300 Grounders to death to protect my friends and then killing nearly 400 people in the old Mt Weather government facility. And then in space I- -”

Koop holds up his hand. “Never mind. I believe you. I’m sorry you have that burden to carry.”

“I used to think it was a burden. Now I accept I have done what I needed to protect my people.” She glances around the chapel. “And I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

Koop nods. “Noted.”

“Let’s go.”

Clarke leads him up to the front. They hear the men giving Lexa all the information they can on Brother Thomas and locations of supply stations out around the bunker. Henry is writing down everything they say so he can take it back to their map and plot the locations. When the men finish, another guard leads them away. Clarke steps forward. Lexa looks at her in alarm.

“Why is there blood on your face?”

“Not mine, Heda. Bellamy’s,” she answers, then turns to Octavia. “He’s stable. Mom’s with him in the medical facility.”

Octavia grabs her. “Thank you, Clarke.”

“I just helped him get in there.” She nods towards Koop. “This is the surgeon that saved his life. Monroe also donated 2 pints of blood. She’s resting there now.”

“I so fucking owe her! Thanks to you, too, Doc.” She turns to Lexa. “Heda, may I- -”

Lexa smiles and nods. “Go.” She then turns her attention to Koop. “Thank you for saving my warrior.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Heda, he is behind the serum in the darts and, well, other things. His ancestors were the ones that realized repurposing human remains would deal with certain deficiencies in their diet,” Clarke reports.

“And before Clarke tries to absolve me of anything, I knew it was wrong once we had access to the surface. But, well, when we tried to stop right away, people suffered. I’m not sure if it was…was the cannibalism or something else that messed with Brother Thomas’ mind but, well, I was too scared to question anything. For that I will never forgive myself. But I was in the inner circle. I can help you find where they escaped and tell you where they will most likely go,” he volunteers.

Lexa studies the man carefully. There is definitely regret in his eyes. She looks at Anya.

“Take him to the camp. I want him to see the map and show you everything. Before you go, find the escape tunnel. Wanheda and I will follow that to Brother Thomas.”

Though Anya doesn’t look happy about it, she nods. “Sha, Heda.”

“TRAITOR!”

Clarke spins around as she sees several people around the room leap up. Koop’s eyes widen.

“ARCHANGELS!” he yells as darts fly towards the altar.

He throws himself at Clarke, Henry dives at Lexa, and Captain Miller tackles Anya. Lexa finds herself eye to eye with Clarke.

“Klark?”

“Fuck…that shit…hurts,” she mumbles as the serum takes effect.

Lexa leaps up and sees her warriors as well as members of the cult tackling the Archangels in their midst. She stomps down and grabs one man by the shoulder.

“Do you see any other Archangels?” she asks him.

He carefully looks around at all the commotion. “No…I don’t think so but…it’s so confusing.”

Lexa leaps onto a pew, making Anya growl since it makes the Heda a target.

“IF ANYONE SEES AN ARCHANGEL IN DISGUISE POINT THEM OUT! Do not let them destroy your chance at peace!”

She watches as several more people are taken to the ground by their friends. Two men raise their hands in surrender.

“WE TURNED!”

“WE HAVE NO WEAPONS!”

They are bound as the others but kept separate from the ones that seem to want to serve until their death. Once she is sure order is restored, Lexa leaps down and hurries back to the altar. Anya is already applying the antidote to the dart that had nicked their omega. Lexa grabs another syringe and injects Koop after pulling out the dart that got him between the shoulder blades. She pats the man on the arm.

“This should work for you soon.” She looks to Clarke. “You will be fine, too.”

Anya stares into Clarke’s eyes. “A beta would have dodged that,” she teases.

Clarke’s eyes glisten, showing her amusement. Within 10 minutes Koop is fully recovered. It takes Clarke nearly 30 minutes. She rubs her head.

“Damn that fucks with you, doesn’t it?”

Lexa nods. “Sha, it does. Go back to camp and- -”

“No. You’ve already sent Anya back. I am with you, Heda.” She starts to push herself up, gets dizzy and slides down the wall again. “Uh, I am with you in, um, five minutes.”

Lexa chuckles. “I’ll assemble our teams.”

Clarke nods and closes her eyes a moment. She senses someone in front of her and opens her eyes.

“Thank you for saving him again,” Echo says with uncharacteristic emotion.

Clarke smiles. “Didn’t want to have to listen to Octavia or you whine about him.”

Echo chuckles. “Assassins don’t whine.”

“True. But Royal Guard Captains do based on Anya,” she teases.

Echo grins. “Ah, right. Still, he’ll be fine. Abby said to tell you he is getting stronger. Good call bringing him in here instead of taking him back to camp. That was…not easy for me to accept.”

“Me either but it’s what he needed. If he wakes before I get back, tell him to get well soon.”

Echo nods. “I will tell him.” She offers her hand and Clarke shakes it. “Mochof, Wanheda.”

“Pro, Captain.”

Clarke takes a deep breath and pushes herself to her feet. She rubs her neck where the dart hit her and shakes her head.

“Thanks, Mom, for the serum,” she whispers.

She walks down from the altar and starts towards the door. A small hand reaches out and grabs her arm. Clarke looks down at a little girl clutching a well-worn dolly.

“Is it true we will go outside and see birds and flowers and unicorns?”

Clarke smiles and squats down. “Well, yes on outside, flowers and birds. Unfortunately, no unicorns. But there are horses and deer and fish and all sorts of really cool things to see.”

The little smiles, her eyes lit up with happiness. “Thank you, Ms. Wanheda.”

Clarke pats her on the head. “You’re welcome, little one.”

Clarke smiles at the girl’s parents and stands to continue on to rendezvous with Heda and their teams. Time to track down Brother Thomas!

* * *

Tank shoves a man towards the escape tunnel. “HEDA! Hod op!”

Lexa and Clarke turn. “What is it?” Lexa demands.

Tank shoves the man. “Tell her.”

The man shrugs. “The escape tunnel is booby trapped. You follow them, you die.”

“How do you know?” Clarke asks.

“Because I am their 4th generation demolitions expert. My father set up that system for Brother Thomas. I maintained it. All he has to do is flip a switch at a certain point and a pressure plate activates. You step on it and boom,” he explains.

Clarke and Lexa exchange a look. Even if they thought he was lying they can’t take the chance. Lexa nods to Tank.

“Well done.” She looks to Gustus. “Stay here and seal this door. No one goes through lest they get killed.” She looks to the man. “I assume you can disarm it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Then you will do so eventually. For now, leave it.”

Lexa leads the Raiders and her team up to the main entrance of the bunker. She pulls out a walkie talkie.

“Heda to the Command Tent.”

There is a crackle a moment later. “Nomtu?” Kora’s voice comes through.

Lexa looks at the radio in her hand and realizes she had grabbed the one linked to her daughter’s radio. Around her Guards and Raiders try not to chuckle. Clarke grins and pulls out her own radio.

“Tell her you were just checking on her. I got this.”

Lexa shakes her head, her cheeks red. “Hi, Kora. I just wanted to let you know your Mama, Nomon and I are okay. Your uncle Belomi is a little hurt but Grandma is taking care of him. Are you doing okay, ai yongon?”

“Sha, Nomtu. Raven is teaching me to count cards.”

“WHOA! No telling that, kid!” Raven hollers in the background.

Lexa rolls her eyes. “Raven, be good. Kora, we will see you soon. Ai hod yu in.”

“Ai hod yu in, Nomtu.”

Lexa puts her radio away and glares at Henry. “Not. A. Word.”

“Not at all, Heda. I would never accuse you of not being properly prepared for battle,” he teases.

Lexa just lets out a low growl and looks to Clarke.

“Report, Wanheda.”

“Roan was in the command tent when Anya and Koop got there. He knows the ridge where the escape tunnel exits. He’s on his way with horses as there are no roads for vehicles.”

Lexa nods. “Good. Let’s hope this ends sooner rather than later.”

Clarke and the others nod in agreement. And though she would never admit it, Lexa finds herself more settled now that she has spoken with her daughter. It’s good to be a mom!

* * *

It is nearly evening and they were still far from their new home they call Ararat. The walk has given Brother Thomas a chance to come up with a few options for rebuilding his cult. First, they would approach the ones called Outcasts and offer real friendship with them, not this…this pathetic partnership they share with the Coalition.

Secondly, he will get word to his infiltrators. Time to start stealing children. As they age, if they present as alphas, they will give themselves for the rest of the group. If they are beta or omega, he would groom them to take their place in their new society. It will take time, but they will grow and they will train and when they are ready they will destroy Heda Lexa and her damned Coalition!

“Uh, sir…” one of the Archangels calls.

“What?” Brother Thomas blurts, angry his thoughts had been interrupted.

“Um, look, sir,” the guard points.

Brother Thomas stomps up to him and look on down the road. His eyes widen. Clarke is leaning against a tree, seemingly studying her nails. She looks up as if having just noticed them.

“Oh, you made it. How was the walk? We took horses. Made it easier.”

Brother Thomas is furious. “SHOOT HER!”

As guns are lifted cannisters fly in from the trees beside the caravan of people. Clarke whips out a gas mask and puts it on as the knock out gas starts to do its job. The last thing Brother Thomas sees is Lexa stepping out of the trees directly in front of him. Even with the mask on, he can see the anger in her eyes.

“Well…this isn’t how I saw this going…” is his last thought.

When no one else moves, Roan steps up beside his Heda.

“Still wish you’d let me hit him,” he grumbles.

Lexa grins. “You may still get the chance.” She looks to him. “This is a lot of people. We are close to your lands.”

“You wish to hold the trials in Azgeda?”

Lexa nods. “Sha. We can weed out who can be trusted to start a new life and who needs to go to trial. Then we hold the hearings in Azgeda. The Ambassadors will have time to arrive while we interview all the survivors.”

Roan grins and nods. “Something tells me my Captain will be very, very happy to be in charge of these bastards for the foreseeable future.”

Lexa nods. “Sha, I believe she will be.”


	22. Chapter 22

It is late afternoon the next day when Clarke and Lexa ride into the base camp. They had helped deliver the inner circle to Azgeda and had received word the loyal Archangels were on their way with the Azgeda forces. Those in the bunker who had clearly turned, are going to be allowed to stay in the bunker area while their living arrangements are decided. Clarke and Lexa hand off their horses and step into the command tent.

“Report,” Lexa states.

Anya and Indra turn to them.

“We have 298 people to rehome staying in the bunker,” Anya begins. “The rest either already perished or are in Azgeda awaiting trial. I know there are families there that will need additional consideration. Indra and I have come up with plans of where the cultists in the bunker should be sent based on ages, family numbers and which clans we know can add the extra mouths this time of year. We allow that changes may need to be made if any are sick and could use Abi’s care or if any other impediment to this plan arises. We sent the list back to Polis for the Ambassadors to look over on their way to Azgeda for the trials.”

Lexa nods. “Good. Casualty report?” she looks to Nyko.

“Minimal, Heda. Bellamy was the worst and he is showing signs of improvement even though he is still unconscious at last report from Abby. Abby also wanted me to tell you that she and Dr. Koop are working up a supplement that people can take to gradually wean them off of their need for, ugh, human flesh. Their bodies are so used to that right now it would cause much sickness if it was just immediately stopped. She will let you know if there is enough for the prisoners,” he adds with a grunt.

“They can suffer,” Clarke mutters.

“We shall see,” Lexa replies. “Anything else I should know?”

“One last thing. The man Tank identified as their explosives expert is helping get all the landmines up and deactivating any traps he knows about,” Anya reports. “Heda, what will we do with all the weapons inside the bunker?”

Lexa sits down on her throne. “Honestly, I have no idea,” she admits. “Part of me wants to blow them all to hell and seal that bunker like Mt Weather. However…there could be other groups like this out there, waiting for the chance to emerge and engage.” She runs a hand over her face. “For now, just secure everything. I wish to speak to Captain Miller and Raven before making a final decision.”

Anya nods. “Sha, Heda.”

With all reports given, Lexa waves her hand and all but her mates leave. Clarke walks over and sits in her alphas lap. Anya perches on the arm of the throne. The three just sit for the moment, nuzzling each other, drawing strength from each other. Anya strokes Clarke’s hair.

“Are you really okay, hodnes? Your Raiders ran through a number of explosions.”

Clarke nods. “I’m fine. We threw rocks to clear our way so most explosions were ahead of us. Are you okay after having used your firearm in battle?”

Anya thinks a moment as both mates stare at her. “I…am working on it but I think I will be fine. It isn’t something I feel the need to carry every time we are in battle but, as you had said, it was good for me to know how to use it. I wasn’t about to send anyone else down that vent into a probable trap.”

Lexa smiles and strokes her alpha’s face. “And that’s why you are the best leader of my armies,” the Heda points out.

After settling their minds a little longer, the trio gets up and walks to the tent next door. They hear Kora giggling and Raven complaining.

“Dang it! I’m the one that taught you to cheat! How the heck can I not beat you?”

“I’m just that good, Mech Raven,” Kora taunts, using one of Raven’s patent sayings.

The trio walk in as Raven starts to shuffle the cards. Kora sees her mothers and leaps up.

“NOMTU! MAMA!”

Anya grins as Clarke and Lexa pull their daughter close. Lots of happy pheromones are being pumped out by all three parents and even a happy mechanic. Raven puts the cards on the table and walks over.

“So, this all over?”

“All done but the trials,” Lexa confirms.

“Good. So, uh, what about all the tech in the bunker?” Raven asks eagerly.

Lexa chuckles. “I wanted to speak with you and Captain Miller about everything inside. For now those that turned on Brother Thomas are going to stay inside until we figure out their new homes. By then we should know what we’re doing with everything inside.”

“Cool. Glad we aren’t going to just destroy it. Something tells me it’s pretty damn stocked with stuff. Maybe not as much as in Mt Weather or some of those military stashes, but still plenty that can help everyone.”

“And no chance for A.L.I.E. to be in any of it because Becca wasn’t trusted by her own father,” Clarke points out.

“True that,” Raven agrees. “Still going to scan their systems to be safe, though.”

“Good plan,” Anya nods.

“Cool. So I’m going to go see if someone will take me to visit Bellamy. You four have fun!”

Raven walks out to give the family some time together. Kora looks at her parents.

“Can we go get Audrey and Jakey and Micah now? I miss them.”

Lexa smiles. “They are already on their way home, ai yongon. As you will be, too.”

Kora frowns. “What about you and Nomon and Mama?”

“We have to go to Azgeda for the trials of the bad guys,” Anya answers.

“Oh.” Kora thinks a second. “But when you come home, we can maybe take some time to just cuddle and stuff?”

Lexa lifts her up and gives her a kiss on the cheek. “Count on it, little Raider. Count on it,” she promises.

Kora smiles as her three mothers hug her, pumping out the scents that mean love and safety to the brave little warrior.

* * *

Bellamy slowly opens his eyes. He blinks a few times to focus and confirms he has no idea where he is at the moment. But the dark mane of hair beside his arm is unmistakable.

“O?” he croaks, his mouth painfully dry.

Octavia’s head flies up. She smiles. “Hey! You really with us this time?”

“This…time?” he rasps.

She grabs a cup of water with a straw and lets him sip. “You’ve been in and out the last couple of hours. In case you’re wondering, no I didn’t forget to let your puppy out.”

Bellamy frowns. “Puppy?”

Octavia chuckles. “One of the better weird things you said. You hurting or anything?”

Bellamy shakes his head. “No. Just…throat hurts.”

Octavia lets him take another drink. “Not too much at once, okay, big brother?”

He nods and eases his head back. “Better. Thanks. Where’s Echo?”

“Should be back any second. She’s helping get things stabilized here for those remaining.”

“Remaining? What do you mean?”

Octavia tells him everything that happened after he was taken captive. When it ends she shrugs. “So, pretty much most people are damn happy to be rid of Brother Thomas and toasts were being drunk to Lexa at dinner tonight, can you believe it?”

Bellamy smiles. “Damn glad to hear it. This could have been ugly.”

“Yeah it could have been. Lexa’s plan to attack in the middle of the night was the key. They just weren’t ready for us.” Octavia looks towards the door and smiles. “And I think it’s time for me to leave. Don’t want to watch you get all kissy face with Echo.”

Bellamy turns his head as someone appears on his opposite side. His eyes light up.

“Hi.”

Echo leans down and kisses him. “You ever scare me like this again I’ll kill you myself.”

Octavia laughs. “I think I’m starting to actually like you, Echo. Let me get out of here before that happens.”

Echo grins as she takes Bellamy’s hand. “Seriously, now, are you okay?”

“Feeling alright. Just achy and weak.”

“Yeah, you lost a lot of blood. Abby said it will probably be a few days before your body gets your volume back up. Thankfully Monroe was part of the Raiders team. She did a direct transfusion while your surgery was going on. We owe her big.”

Bellamy nods. “Definitely. Guess I owe Abby, too, for saving me.”

Echo grunts. “Actually…” she tells him about what really happened. “So basically, you owe Clarke and the doctor for these fucks.”

Bellamy considers that. “Well that’s definitely something to think about considering what that doctor had to have been part of.”

Echo nods. “Yeah. He is working with Abby now to help get people off the need for human flesh. Completely fucked up situation.”

“Yeah. So when do you escort Roan back to Azgeda?”

“He’s already there. Heda and Wanheda escorted him.” She tells him about the chase to catch Brother Thomas. “And before you ask, I’d have been with him but he ordered me to take care of his High Inquisitor. Seems he has had a hard time filling the position and didn’t want you to die or, worse, quit.”

Bellamy grins. “Somehow I can believe that.” He squeezes his mate’s hand. “I need you to know, I hated that you might see me die but I knew if I was to be saved it would be you to do it. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Bell.”

The two share a kiss then just sit silently, counting their blessings, until Abby returns to check on her patient.

* * *

Lexa is sitting at the table in the command tent reading various reports when a Royal Guard insignia drops on the page she’s reviewing. She looks up at Praxis.

“What’s this?”

“My insignia,” he grunts. “What’s it look like?”

Lexa has never seen this man so put out before. She stands, her eyebrow lifting.

“What is your problem, Praxis?”

“You tell me, _Heda_ ,” the last word is said with derision and, if Lexa is honest, hurt.

Lexa is stunned. She has known Praxis for more years than she can count and has never even seen him a little surly, let alone downright disrespectful. She lets out a low warning growl.

“You best tell me what bug is up your ass, Praxis, or you’ll find out firsthand what happens when someone disrespects me.”

He growls back. “The bug isn’t up my ass! It’s up yours! I have given you YEARS of service and dedication. I defended you when people said you were too young to lead. I backed you when you offered Nia an alliance. I stood by you when you sought alliance with the Skaikru instead of destroying them. I cheered that you found love first with Anya and then with Clarke.” He pauses. “And I swore my life to the protection of your children.”

Lexa stares at him a moment. “I’m sorry, but what is that supposed to tell me, Praxis? I know all that about you. Until this moment I’ve never had reason to doubt you as the head of my Guard when Anya is otherwise unable to lead.”

“I had to learn your children were no longer in Polis from someone else, not you. YOU didn’t trust me enough to protect them in Polis so you sent them away. And then you didn’t even have the decency to tell me where they were. I’d still be unsure if Kora hadn’t been taken, or is that somehow my fault, too? Maybe I am just that poor a security head in your eyes,” he growls at her.

Lexa steps past him and pours a cup of wine. She turns and offers it to him. Praxis lifts an eyebrow.

“Drink. You’ve earned it. Sit down,” she orders, her voice neutral but commanding.

Praxis accepts the cup and sits down. After he takes a sip, Lexa starts to pace.

“We knew there were infiltrators in the Guard, in the Raiders and even just around Polis. We knew they would be watching you, Henry, Max, Tank and Gustus. You five are the ones we trust above all others for our safety and for the safety of our children, not to mention the Nightbloods. We needed you to act like the children and my students were in the bunker and we couldn’t risk the truth slipping out. Had you moved even one guard from there to here, it would have been obvious the children were gone.” She drops down into a chair. “And I have kicked myself since I found out Kora was taken that you were not there with her. You, Praxis, above all others I trust with my heart. My heart is my family and you were with me, not them. I have no doubt they would have failed getting to Kora had you been with them. I was thinking so much about my children, I didn’t think about what this did to my relationship with you.

“Should you still wish to resign, I will regretfully take your insignia. You have served Polis, the Coalition and me faithfully and honourably, Praxis. I apologize if I made you feel otherwise,” she says, looking down at the ground between her feet.

Praxis watches her a few minutes. He finishes his wine and sets the cup on the table. He leans forward, elbows on his knees, hands clasped. “Look me in the eye and tell me you trust me with your family.”

Lexa looks up and locks eyes with him. “I trust no one more,” she tells him.

He studies her a few more minutes, then stands. He grabs his insignia off the table. “Guess I better hold onto this in case you decide to do something crazy like challenge 5 drunk warriors to a fight again.”

Lexa smiles. “Yes, you probably should.” She stands and offers her hand. “I truly am sorry for hurting you, Praxis. Thank you for giving me another chance.”

Praxis grips her hand firmly. “Thank you for not decking an old fool with a bruised ego.”

Lexa chuckles. “My pleasure.”

Praxis puts the insignia back on and leaves to finish making sure his Guard is ready for the trip to Azgeda. As he exits, a voice calls out to him.

“Praxis.”

He turns, stiffening when he sees who it is. “Yes, Diyoza?”

She walks over to him. “I just want you to know, you were the first person Lexa named when I suggested hiding the kids with the Outcasts. I was the one that convinced her not to use you or tell you. I just…wanted you to know that since she’d never say it,” the woman explains.

He stares at her. “Why tell me this?”

Diyoza shrugs. “I ruined a lot of lives, a lot of relationships. Maybe I just don’t want any more on my slate.”

She turns and walks away. Praxis considers what was said and nods. Now that it’s been said, he knows what was bothering him about Lexa’s confession. She held something back once more trying to give Diyoza a break. He grunts.

“More proof she’s the best damn leader we’ve ever had if she wants to protect that bitch.”

He heads off to attend to his duties.

* * *

Diyoza is staring across the open field as landmines are being found, deactivated and removed. She turns her head as she feels someone coming up beside her.

“Nice win, Wanheda,” she greets her guest.

“Sha, it was.” Clarke watches the minesweepers in silence before taking a deep breath. “Thank you for coming up with the plan to protect the children. We received a confession from one of the infiltrators that they had planned to breech the bunker, just like you said they might.”

Diyoza nods and chuckles. “Just pisses you the fuck off you have to thank me for something, doesn’t it?”

“Yes. But you earned my appreciation and I’m trying not to be an asshole so I’m thanking you. Don’t read anything else into it.”

They stand in silence that is finally broken when Diyoza chuckles.

“What’s so funny?”

“Just thinking…you don’t like me, I’m not crazy about you. What happens if our kids grow up and get hitched?”

Clarke groans. “Oh, don’t even suggest such a thing. It will give me nightmares until all my kids are married off.”

“Me, too,” Diyoza concurs.

“So, have you ever figured out what you wanted to do? I mean, I know Lexa gave you the job with the historians but is that all you want?”

“Surprisingly, yeah, it is right now. For someone who has been all about action and being in the thick of everything their whole life, it’s been weird. But it calms that rage in me that fueled me for so many years.” She turns to Clarke. “I hope you find something to help with your rage.”

Clarke shrugs. “Someday maybe I will. Until then, I just use it to keep helping my people as Wanheda.”

“That seems like one of those ‘until death’ sort of titles,” Diyoza points out.

Clarke nods. “It is. So…I’ll calm down when I’m dead. See you around.”

Clarke walks past the woman and down the slope to the open field to get a status report on the landmines. Diyoza watches her go, remembering when her titles had been until death.

“I hope it doesn’t take death to give you a break, Clarke,” she whispers before turning and going back to the main camp.

If all goes well, she can hitch a ride with the first wagons heading back to Polis. She misses her daughter.


	23. Chapter 23

The next day Lexa, Clarke, Anya and their entourage board Flokru boats and ride the waves for 2 hours to a beach on the border of the Dead Zone and the Woods Clan. Indra has vehicles waiting for them, as well as an escort from Broad Leaf, just in case any of Brother Thomas’ people try for revenge. The caravan of 10 vehicles drives several hours along the border right to the Azgeda capital. Lexa turns her head from where she sits in the passenger seat, smiling when she sees Kora sleeping with her head in Clarke’s lap and her feet in Anya’s.

Yes, Kora had guilted them into taking her with them. And truth be told, it hadn’t been hard. A team of 8 is permanently assigned to guard the child; 20 if her mothers aren’t with her.

When they arrive at Roan’s castle, Kora stares up at it in awe. “It’s so cool!”

Clarke grins. “Sha, strik gona, it is.”

The group gets out and are met on the steps by Roan, his wife Melodia, and those of his guard not guarding prisoners or remaining behind at the bunker to assist there. There are also a large number of Azgeda citizens gathered to cheer their Heda and her family. Especially one particular member of that family. When they reach the top of the stairs, Roan greets the triumvirate. He then nods to a man who steps forward, holding a medal. He steps to a microphone so the crowd can hear him clearly as he speaks to them in Trigedasleng.

“ _My people, as you know without our children our future doesn’t exist. It is for that reason we guard them, teach them, care for them even more than we care for ourselves. The enemy we just defeated captured one of our families. Thankfully our Heda’s forces freed the mother and father._ ” He pauses and smiles at Kora. “ _But the children had already been freed by a brave, young warrior. Kora kom Polis had also been captured but used quick thinking and the tools she carried to get herself out of her cell. She then assisted the two Azgeda children to safety. For her actions, I will always be grateful. And to commemorate her courage in a dire situation, I present to her the Shield of Azgeda._ ”

Those gathered cheer and chant the child’s name. Kora is smiling proudly as Roan drops to one knee and places the medal over her head. He offers her his hand.

“Kora, you will always be an honoured guest in my home and in my territory. Tonight at dinner we will toast you once more for what you did for my people.”

“Ai koma, King Roan,” Kora tells him. “I just did the right thing like my mothers always tell me to do.”

He smiles. “Then you have learned your lessons well, young one.”

Melodia steps forward and offers Kora a stuffed bear. “Please accept this as a thank you from the children of Azgeda. We are so very proud of you, Kora.” She gives Kora a hug and a kiss.

“Mochof, Queen Melodia,” Kora replies.

Lexa looks at Roan and nods her thanks. Yes, she had planned to honour her daughter. It means even more to her that Roan has done so. As the group goes into the castle, Clarke and Anya squat down so Kora can show them her medal.

“Look! Isn’t it pretty!” the little girl crows.

“It’s gorgeous, Kora,” Clarke praises her.

“And you definitely deserve it, ai yongon,” Anya agrees.

Lexa nods to Roan. “Thank you for that. I had planned to honour her back in Polis. It means a great deal to me that you honoured her, too.”

“How could we not?” Melodia notes. “What those monsters had planned is horrible. The last thing they, or even anyone, would expect is a 9-year-old to free their captives. It’s a wonderful story!”

Lexa grins and nods. “I agree. And, to set the record straight, she’s 7.”

Melodia’s eyes widen. “Seven? Really? My goodness we didn’t honour her enough!”

Roan chuckles. “Sha, I think we did just fine.” He looks to Lexa. “And I mean it that she’s always welcome here. To hear the father tell the story, he was despondent he couldn’t save his children. It gave him the will to fight to survive knowing his children were going to be fine. He said she never once wavered in her belief she would get the three of them to safety.”

Lexa smiles at her daughter. “She’s a pretty tough cookie, I agree. I thank the Spirits every day that she is my child.”

Melodia smiles and pats her arm. “And well you should.”

“Look, Nomtu! Isn’t it pretty!”

Lexa squats down and studies the finely crafted medal inlaid with blue glass in the symbol of the Ice Nation Clan. “It is beautiful, Kora. You will need to take good care of it so you can wear it on official visits and events.”

“I will, Nomtu. Ai swega!” Kora vows, her eyes still studying the beautiful award.

Lexa leans forward and kisses her on the forehead. She then turns to Roan. “So, with that out of the way, have the Ambassadors arrived?”

“Sha. A couple hours ago.”

“Then let’s go address them and see how we are to proceed.”

“Kora, would you like to come with me to meet some more of the children of Azgeda?” Melodia offers.

Kora looks to Lexa. “Nomtu?”

Lexa nods. “You may go. Listen to Melodia, ai yongon.”

“I will, Nomtu.” She takes Melodia’s hand. “We can go.”

Her mothers grin as Kora starts asking all sorts of questions about Azgeda. Roan chuckles when 20 warriors fall in behind the duo.

“Only 20, Heda? You are brave,” he jokes.

“Ah, she figured you might have one or two warriors that could help if needed,” Anya teases back.

With that they go to see the Ambassadors and find out what they think of this situation at hand.

* * *

As expected, none of the Ambassadors feel much sympathy towards Brother Thomas and his inner circle. So far the only one who had been granted life is Dr. Koop, whom Abby had advocated for, as had Bellamy via a written statement since he had not been cleared for travel as yet.

As more of the atrocities that these people had condoned or participated in came to light, the less they had even tried to defend themselves. One Archangel made the mistake of trying to get away from his guards and race at Lexa. One of Roan’s guards (whom they ironically call Tiny) had tackled the man so hard even Anya had to wonder if a trial was going to be necessary. Clarke had checked the idiot and said he was just unconscious and should be fine. He was…and then he was sentenced to death.

As day 3 dawns, there are only 3 people left to go to trial. Brother Thomas is slated to go last. As the triad is enjoying breakfast with Roan and his family, a messenger hurries in with a nervous look on his face.

“Heda, my King, the prisoner called Thomas wishes to speak with Wanheda.”

Clarke looks as surprised as anyone. “Me? Why?”

The man glances at Lexa, then to Clarke. “He said you are the only one here that would be able to help the heathens understand his position.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Anya mutters. She looks at Lexa. “Surely you won’t allow her to do this.”

Lexa stares at her omega. Clarke rolls her eyes.

“We’ve heard his crap before, Heda,” Clarke states. “He’ll try to use the same argument as the Maunon to get me to side with him. It won’t work.”

“I’ll allow it only so we can hear what he has to say. It’s possible he will brag of hidden stores or weapons if he thinks Clarke is on his side,” Lexa states.

“Then let me go in with her,” Anya insists.

“Or me,” Roan offers. “As a beta he may not see me as a threat,” he points out.

Clarke shakes her head. “No, I’ll go in alone. I trust you all to intervene in time should he try something.”

“Mama, you gonna get hurt?” Kora asks nervously.

Clarke smiles at her daughter. “No way. Your Nomon, Nomtu, and Uncle Roan would never let that happen.”

Lexa smiles as Kora looks to her. “Sha, strik gona, we will protect her. Ai swega.”

Kora still doesn’t quite look convinced. “You…you’ll come see me when you’re done, Mama?” she asks, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

Clarke strokes a hand over her head. “You’ll be my first stop. Ai swega.”

Kora forgets about her breakfast and crawls into Clarke’s lap. Wanheda curses herself for worrying her daughter but she and Lexa know that they need to see if Thomas gives her anything that they can use or secure before it is found by enemies. She kisses Kora on the side of the head.

“I’ll be fine, Kora. I promise.”

Thirty minutes later, Brother Thomas stands up as the wooden door of his cell is opened and Clarke walks in. She glances around, having become very familiar with this damp, dark cell during her “visit” with Nia several years back.

“You wished to see me,” she says immediately.

He waits until the door closes before stepping close to her. “Yes!” He whispers. “I had hoped to speak to you to help you see we can help each other.”

“I wasn’t aware I needed help,” Clarke points out, her voice not altered in volume at all.

“Shhhh! Don’t let them hear! If you help me escape I can lead you to weapons and stores that will keep those heathens from hurting you and your people. You will no longer need to be their prisoner.”

Clarke laughs out loud. “Oh my goodness you are too predictable. We figured this is why you wanted to see me so let me set a few things straight with you. Number 1, Lexa and Anya are my mates by choice, not by force. I love them with everything I have in me and feel the same for my children, you know, the ones  _you_   tried to steal.” She starts to pace around the man, purposely making him turn to watch her so his back ends up towards the door. “Secondly, the only group my people have to fear are you and your diehards. And let’s face it, that fear will end with the execution of you, your council, and your so-called Archangels. Right now, across the Coalition, all your little spies are being rounded up. What has been comforting to us is the number who have already denounced you and your asinine views of the world.”

“They wouldn’t turn on me!”

“They already have! You’ve even executed some so don’t act like you didn’t know they were seeing the world for what it is, not what you want it to be. Which brings me to point 3. You’re insane. You’re a psychopath and utterly insane. You’re also a pathetic little man with no hope of getting out of this situation alive so stop wasting my time. You’re done, Tom,” she finishes.

Brother Thomas does NOT like to be called Tom. Or a psychopath. Or insane. Clarke watches the fury burning in his eyes. She prepares herself for his next tactic.

“We’ll see who’s done!” he growls and starts to pump pheromones at her.

She just lifts an eyebrow.

He pumps harder, his face getting red. She chuckles. He pumps harder, visibly shaking with the effort to get her to submit. She shakes her head in amusement.

“Tom, I’m mated to the most powerful alpha on the planet and trust me I do enough shit to piss her off that she gets all pumped up around me. You barely register as a beta to my nose,” she taunts him.

He roars and leaps towards her as the door is thrown open and Anya races in. She grabs the man and slams him face first into the wall.

“You will NOT touch my mate!” she growls.

“See you upstairs, Tom,” Clarke sing-songs as she walks out. “Don’t hurt him too bad, Anya. I want to get this shit finished today.”

As soon as she is out of sight of the man, Clarke stumbles, grabbing at her head. Roan and Lexa grab her and steady her. They help her down the hall to where she can sit down. Lexa squats in front of her, rubbing Clarke’s temples. She and Roan both pump out pheromones to soothe her.

“Th…thanks,” she mutters. “Fuck that hurt.”

“You played it well, hodnes,” Lexa tells her. “I actually believed he had no effect on you.”

“As did I,” Roan agrees.

Clarke chuckles. When she looks up Lexa wipes away the trickle of blood coming out of her mate’s nose.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Lexa presses.

“Just have a headache. It will go away when this is all over.”

“Why not go stay with Kora today? We can handle the last three trials,” Roan suggests.

Clarke smiles at him. “Thank you. But I don’t want to give him any chance to think he hurt me in some way. I’ll be alright.”

Anya walks up, looking happy. Clarke lifts an eyebrow. “He lives,” the general grumbles. “But if even if by chance they don’t sentence him to death he won’t be fathering any children anytime soon.”

“Ouch,” Lexa and Roan wince at the implication.

Clarke just giggles. Anya rubs Clarke’s head.

“You okay, ai prisa?”

Clarke nods. “Sha. I’m just fine. Let’s go get this shit started so it can end.”

Anya and Lexa each offer a hand to help her up and the group goes to the main hall to get things ready for the last trials for the Children of Aseity. Clarke does take one quick detour to, as promised, let Kora know she is okay after her meeting with Brother Thomas.

* * *

Those gathered in the room to watch the hearing start to murmur as Brother Thomas is lead into the room. So far all had been sentenced to death but also threw their leader under the proverbial bus. They weren’t going to die alone! The most damning testimony had come from Dr. Koop, who made sure each person’s position within the cult hierarchy was known to all. Once Brother Thomas is forced into his seat for the trial to begin, Lexa stands.

“Thomas Franco, you have been charged with kidnapping, cannibalism, treason, arson, and murder. How do you plead?” Lexa asks him.

“I don’t answer to heathens,” he barks out.

“I’ll take that as ‘not guilty’. Dr. Koop, do you wish to detail what you know regarding Thomas’ actions?” Lexa asks the doctor.

Once more the doctor stands in front of the Ambassadors and the gallery. Clarke can’t help but think the man looks like he has aged years in just the past three days. She can only hope this final time testifying is the last time he will have to speak of the horrors he witnessed and participated in while part of the cult. In measured tones, Koop explains the history of the cannibalism; when it was done to save lives.

“Three years ago we were able to leave the bunker for the ground without containment suits. We killed game and found their radiation levels were the same as ours and we were able to introduce fresh animal meat into our diets. Some people had issues with the change. It was a truly physical issue and my recommendation was to slowly integrate the new meat with the old until our systems adapted after 2 or 3 generations of human protein being the primary focus of our diets. Brother Thomas agreed but…but said we would use those from outside, not just those in the bunker. He would send out teams to kidnap your people to serve us. Only if no one was found would we sacrifice someone in our ranks.” He wipes at a tear on his cheek. “Then…then he, uh, Thomas, told us that eating people is what gave us our strength and was what made us better than those on the surface. In his opinion, the fact that you all ate the game that made us sick was proof the animals were below us and, as such, you all were below us. ‘Heathens’ is the word he used to describe you. Anyone that spoke out against him was killed and, well, consumed. There was no more talk of stopping the cannibalism. Instead there was an increased call for captives from above to fill our freezer.” He slowly looks at the Ambassadors. “He had no regard for any of your people. In his eyes, you were nothing but food sources for us.”

Kane sits forward. “Why didn’t you stop him? Why didn’t you put your foot down?”

“I couldn’t. As I said, anyone that stood against him was killed. I am…was the only doctor. If I am dead, the innocent suffer. I just had to…to shut up and go along with his madness and pray someone stronger than me would rise up.” He sighs. “Simon, who was in charge of food stores, is not here because he refused Brother Thomas’ final order, which was to kill one of our omega teenagers for us to eat before our battle with you. Simon used boar meat instead and lied to us all. Brother Thomas had him killed that night. Based on earlier testimony, he shot Ruth simply because she pointed out how few of them escaped when your armies attacked us in the night. He can’t be questioned, he can’t be disobeyed, he can’t be trusted. The man is a monster. And I…I was too scared to stand against him because his Archangels supported him without hesitation.” He turns to Brother Thomas. “You don’t know how many times I considered murdering you and just facing the consequences. My only worry was one of your soldiers might be more insane than you.”

Brother Thomas had watched the betrayal with barely controlled fury. The more it had gone on the harder it had been to bring his wolf to heel. He sees himself leaping on that coward Koop; sees himself ripping out the man’s throat with his teeth and feasting on the man’s raw flesh.

Ambassador Irina studies the doctor a moment. “If we were to sentence Thomas to life at labour instead of death, in your opinion, could he ever be trusted to live peacefully?”

Koop huffs out a humourless laugh. “For a self-proclaimed man of the cloth, he wouldn’t know peace if it kicked him in the teeth. Death is the only way to protect your children from his sick mind.”

And that is the final straw. Brother Thomas doesn’t think himself sick, just betrayed by one of his chosen.

“YOU BASTARD!”

With speed his guards hadn’t expected, Brother Thomas leaps the railing separating him from the doctor. He races at the man, murder in his eyes. Clarke jumps from her place beside Lexa into his path and executes a perfect spin kick to his head. He drops like a rock. Warriors grab him and drag him back to the seat of the accused. Clarke turns to Lexa.

“Apologies for reacting to the bastard, Heda.”

“Forgiven, Wanheda,” Lexa smirks.

Anya just smiles proudly and winks at her omega. Damn that was hot! Clarke returns to her place beside her mate. Lexa nods towards Abby, who uses smelling salts to bring Brother Thomas back around. The Heda then looks at Dr. Koop.

“Is there anything else you wish to add, Dr. Koop?” the Heda asks.

He shakes his head. “I’m not sure what more there is to say, Heda,” he admits wearily.

Lexa looks out at the crowd. “Does anyone wish to advocate on behalf of the accused?” No one answers. She looks to the Ambassadors. “Ambassadors, you may move to the next room to deliberate his fate.”

The Ambassador’s exchange looks with each other. No words are needed. Even Kane immediately nods his head. Irina stands.

“With all due respect, Heda, we do not need to deliberate. The things we heard and his final actions have proven Thomas Franco is a threat to the Coalition. We sentence him to death.”

Lexa nods. “So say you all?”

“Sha, Heda,” the Ambassadors reply.

“Then so it shall be done.” She looks to Roan. “King Roan, shall we entrust you to carry out the sentence or would you like any assistance from the other clans?”

Roan stands. “It would be the honour of Azgeda to carry out this sentence on behalf of the Coalition. We will use death by 1000 cuts and invite anyone to participate.”

Lexa nods. “Thank you, King Roan.” She looks at the guards. “Take him away. King Roan will have it posted when the sentences will be carried out.” When Thomas is gone, she looks to the Ambassadors. “Thank you, Ambassadors, for your judgement against those that would destroy us all. This trial is closed.”

People all stand to attention as Lexa rises. She walks down the main aisle, Anya and Clarke right behind her, followed by Roan. Once those four have exited, the Ambassadors follow, and then the people all leave.

“I need a drink,” Clarke mumbles.

“Don’t we all,” Roan agrees. “Come, I have a place we can get a quick mug before the luncheon with the Ambassadors.”

“You know, I think I might start to like you. What a scary thought,” Anya grunts at him.

Lexa and Clarke chuckle as Roan just grins.


	24. Chapter 24

That evening before the start of the executions a vehicle pulls right up to the steps of the castle. Echo hops out of the passenger seat and hurries to the back end. One of her men already has the door open and they both help Bellamy slide out the back. He puts his arm over Echo’s shoulder as they gingerly make their way up the front steps. As they walk inside, some visitors are on their way to dinner. One sees him and races towards him.

“UNCLE BELLAMY!”

He grins as Kora hugs him around the waist. He pats her on the head.

“Hey there, kiddo. How’s my favorite Raider?”

“I’m good. You okay now? Mama said you were really hurt!” Kora asks with concern.

“I was a little hurt but I’m getting better. Thankfully your grandma, mama and Nyko knew what to do to patch me up.”

“Oh, good. You coming to dinner with us?”

“Well, I’m a little tired so I’m going to go rest as soon as I report to Heda and King Roan,” he answers.

“Consider yourself reported,” Lexa states as she walks up with her mates.

“Good to see you up, Belomi,” Anya says.

“Geez, you look like crap,” Clarke teases.

He grins. “Try losing half of your blood and looking decent, Princess,” he jokes.

“Ah, okay. I forgive you then,” she winks.

Lexa looks to Echo. “Go ahead and get him home. I’ll let Roan know you are back in Azgeda.”

“Mochof, Heda,” Echo bows her head.

Clarke watches the two go, happy that Bellamy is not only going to be okay, but that he has found a mate that will take care of him the way she knows Echo will. Who would have thought the two alphas would mesh?

“Mama? You coming?”

Clarke turns to see her daughter waiting with her other mothers. “Sha, yongon, I’m coming.”

Clarke catches up to them and they go on to have dinner before a long, cold night of doling out justice to Brother Thomas and his devout followers.

* * *

Clarke finishes cleaning up after several hours of watching people die. She stares at herself in the mirror. No more warpaint on her face. No streaks of someone else’s blood. This is just Clarke. Why does it seem like she sees Clarke less and less every time she looks at herself?

“I need a vacation,” she mutters.

She tosses her towel down and goes into the small room where her daughter lays sleeping. She smiles and puts an extra blanket on top of her mother, who is also sleeping in that room. Clarke straightens the blankets on Kora and makes sure she doesn’t feel cold. She leans over and kisses her on the cheek.

What would she have done if she had lost her oldest child? Clarke had been near feral with rage when she knew her daughter had been taken. But she had buried most of her emotions, swallowed her urge to drive straight to the damn bunker and kill everyone inside until her daughter was back in her arms. It was beyond anything she has ever experienced to simply wait while her daughter was in there.

“And yet there was nothing to worry about, was there? You were already making your way back out to us, my sweet girl. I’m so sorry you had to experience so much so soon. I hate you’ve lost that little bit of innocence,” she whispers, getting choked up.

“She’s as strong and stubborn as you,” Abby whispers.

Clarke turns and sees by the moonlight her mother awake and watching them. Clarke straightens the covers once more, kisses Kora on the forehead the walks over to sit on the edge of her mother’s bed.

“Sorry to wake you,” she says, fighting back her tears.

Abby opens her arms. “Come here.”

Clarke lays down in her arms and lets out the emotions she had bottled up during the hell of the last…shit, she doesn’t even know how many days. Abby purrs as her daughter lets go for a few minutes. Yes, the doctor knows Clarke is still holding back so as not to wake Kora but that’s okay. Soon, in her mates’ arms, she will fully let go. She will let her alphas comfort her, settle her, and be in turn settled themselves.

But for now Wanheda just needs her mommy.

Sooner than Clarke wants, they hear Lexa and Anya in the adjoining room. Clarke wipes her face and sits up.

“Thanks, Mom,” she croaks.

“Anytime, sweet girl. You were always so independent I always treasured these moments you would let me just…just hold you,” Abby admits.

“Oh.” She thinks a moment, then nods towards the other room. “Think they feel the same? Like, is it an alpha thing?”

“Perhaps a little. But I think it’s mostly love,” Abby replies.

Clarke smiles. “I guess that’s okay then. Don’t want you alphas thinking I’m some omega you need to cuddle or something.”

Abby rolls her eyes as she smiles. “Heaven forbid.”

Clarke gives her mother a hug and checks on her daughter once more before going to see to her mates. As expected, they are stripping down and preparing to step into the filling tub.

“Need someone to scrub your back?” she offers.

Anya looks at her, her eyes narrowing. “Why have you been crying? Who hurt you?”

Clarke grins and gently rubs Anya’s chest to calm her. “No one. I was just…crying over all Kora had to do and learn and experience. And because I am just sick of death. Of killing or almost being killed. Of being…being Wanheda. And before you say anything, I can’t lose the title. I know that. But I’ve come to accept that after shit like this, I have to let it out to let it go. If I don’t…I lose myself the way I did up in space. I feel…better now that I’ve had a cry and gotten it off my heart.” She tilts her head to the side. “Does that make sense?”

Anya leans in and kisses her on the forehead. “Sha, ai prisa, it makes sense.”

Lexa walks over with a warm washcloth and starts to clean off the face of her alpha mate. She smiles at Clarke.

“You know you can always release with us, hodnes. We couldn’t think less of you.”

Anya pulls her head away as Clarke gives Lexa a confused look.

“Excuse me?” says the younger blonde.

Lexa looks at both mates as she runs over the statement in her head. Her face goes bright read. “Whoa! Wait, no, I phrased that wrong! We could think less of you! I swear!”

Anya starts to chuckle. “Not much better, Seken.”

Clarke crosses her arms and gives Lexa the best “keep digging” look in her arsenal. Lexa runs a hand through her hair.

“There are so many voices in my head screaming at me,” she mumbles.

“You should hear the one in Klark’s. I bet it is louder,” Anya teases.

Clarke slides her eyes towards Anya and gives her a wink. At this point both are amused by their alpha’s situation. Clarke chuckles and takes the cloth from Lexa’s hand.

“Best let me do this, sweetheart. You figure out how to compliment your mates before you mistakenly insult your fos and end up in a fresh manure pile,” Clarke says.

Lexa blushes more and looks at Anya. “You  _told_   her about that?”

“Of course I did,” Anya confirms.

Clarke leans towards Anya and “whispers” conspiratorially. “I love it when she gets all flustered and whiney.”

Lexa grunts. “I am not whining.”

“Pouting then,” Anya offers.

“That neither!” Lexa insists. She takes a moment to center herself. “Klark, I was trying to say, you mean the world to us. I know I could never take you off the pedestal I have put you on in my mind. You crying or being upset about our daughter and about the whole damn situation is just a sign of your beautiful heart and it makes me love you more every day.”

“Oh, that was good!” Clarke tosses the washcloth to Anya and pulls Lexa close. “Let me help you get ready for a bath, Heda.”

Lexa smiles as they share a sweet kiss. Anya frowns. “Hey! How’d I get tossed aside?”

Clarke gives her a sultry look. “I’m saving you for later, tiger!”

Anya feels her cock harden. Lexa grins and lets Clarke wash off the Heda’s claws and the blood that had accumulated on her face. Soon all three are luxuriating in a steaming bath, letting the horrors of the siege get washed away by warm water and lovely scented soaps. Anya nuzzles Clarke’s neck.

“Was Kora sleeping okay?”

“Seemed fine. Honestly, I think she’s so exhausted nothing will haunt her for a few days. Once we get home and she’s had time to rest, well, that may mean a bad night or two,” Clarke notes.

Lexa lifts up Clarke’s leg, running a sponge down it. “We’ll be there for her. She knows we will never let her face her nightmares alone.”

Clarke smiles. “Yeah, she does. I have to admit something…I was terrified when I brought her home. We had talked about kids in the future but then I showed up with her. I was scared you all wouldn’t love her the way I did especially since, you know, there was no chance for her to be a Nightblood and she had that hand thing going on. Ark alphas would have never accepted a child like her into their lives.”

Anya chuckles. “I knew the moment I saw the child that she’d be staying with us. Scared the shit out of me,” she admits.

Lexa laughs. “When she told me she didn’t want to stay in Polis because she wanted to see Abi I knew she was something special and that belief has never wavered. When I saw her marching through our camp, her chest puffed out proudly as she led two others to safety, I was filled with so many feelings I can’t even describe them. Primarily relief but also pride, happiness, and more.”

Clarke nods. “All I saw at first was her. It wasn’t until she was in my arms that I noticed the other two kids,” she admits with a grin.

“I thought my daughter had taken prisoners,” Anya states seriously.

Clarke turns her head to stare at her mate. “Are you serious? They were kids!”

Even Lexa is chuckling. Anya shrugs.

“How often do adults say things around kids they don’t think kids notice. I thought our daughter wisely knew that and brought back those it would be easy to interrogate,” she explains.

Lexa and Clarke stare at her in shock, and a bit of horror. Suddenly the serious face breaks into a smile.

“You two are so easy sometimes.” Clarke and Lexa groan, rolling their eyes. “Of course pride and relief were what I felt! As well as the desire to figure out who took her and beat them into ground.”

Clarke kisses her cheek. “You can be scary sometimes, General.”

“Hmph. I’m scary all the time when it comes to war and the safety of my children,” Anya insists.

Lexa lifts Anya’s hand and gives it a kiss. “Sha, niron, you are. Both of you are.” She starts to wash Clarke’s other leg. “Now, tell me one more thing, hodnes.”

“Okay.”

“How come you offered to scrub our backs but instead we ended up bathing you?” Lexa asks with a smirk.

Clarke lifts an eyebrow and gives Lexa a look. “Because I figured once you finished getting me clean, I could help you work out any issues you had with this battle, Heda.”

Lexa feels her cock harden. She drops Clarke’s leg. “Done! Fully clean!”

Clarke giggles and slides forward, intentionally dragging her ass along Anya’s also hardened length. She settles onto Lexa’s lap grinding down onto her as they kiss deeply, slowly, taking time to truly explore each other. When the kiss ends, Clarke looks over her shoulder at Anya.

“So…you finished with me, General?”

Anya slides towards her, eyes dark with lust. “Hell no, Wanheda. I am just getting started!”

She kisses Clarke, her hands wrapping around to cup firm breasts, thumbs flicking already stiff nipples. When the younger blonde moans, Lexa eases her up and then back down on her cock. Lexa thrusts up slowly, embedding herself fully with each push. Anya moans as this makes Clarke’s ass rub up and down her front. Soon her own cock is between her omega’s thighs, the tip rubbing against Lexa’s pulsing appendage.

“Jok…that feels so good,” Anya moans into Clarke’s ear.

Clarke shivers at the feelings coursing through her body. She starts to rock faster.

“Please…please…please…” she starts to mumble, not even really sure what she’s asking for.

Lexa stares at the blondes in her lap, once more praising the spirits they are hers. She reaches around Clarke and toys with Anya’s nipples. Anya’s hips thrust harder against Clarke as she uses her teeth to latch onto Clarke’s shoulder.

“Oh! Oh, Anya…”

Anya’s eyes bore into Lexa’s. “Take…me…” she pleads.

Lexa understands and one of her hands travels lower. She wraps it around the thick shaft and adds pressure and friction to it. As she starts to feel the thickness tremble, she guides it to Clarke’s ass. Using her hands, she pulls Clarke’s cheeks apart and Anya plunges in.

“YES! Oh, my alphas…make me yours. Please make me yours,” Clarke begs.

The two start to rock harder into her. As one the alphas bring their mouths to Clarke’s neck and bite, reminding her she is theirs as they are hers.

“Ain,” Lexa growls through teeth still gripping Clarke’s neck.

Clarke shivers, almost feeling her mind leaving her body as Anya does the same. The three move in sync, deep drives met by pelvic thrusts. Nipples are being pinched, caressed, flicked, and none of them know who is doing what to whom anymore. And soon Clarke feels herself being filled as two cocks explode into her, claiming her in an intimate way. She claws down Lexa’s back as she comes hard not once…but twice in the time it takes her mates to fully fill her with their seed.

“YES! FUCK ME, YES!”

Lexa covers Clarke’s mouth with her own, nipping her lips with her teeth then owning her with her tongue. Her hips continue to thrust against her mate, milking herself with pulsing inner walls. Clarke shudders as Anya pulls out and slides back to the other side of the tub, panting for air. Lexa roars against Clarke’s mouth as she spurts one last time, then relaxes back against the tub. Clarke collapses onto her, her arms draped over Lexa’s shoulders and the edge of the tub. Anya can’t help but smile at the spent duo across from her.

“Ai hod yu in,” she whispers tiredly.

Lexa smiles, her hands tracing lazy trails up and down Clarke’s back. “Ai hod yu in.”

“Ditto,” Clarke mumbles, making the two alphas chuckle.

A little while later they are getting ready for bed. Clarke notices the scratches down Lexa’s back. She grins at the feeling of possession they give her. Of course, both alphas have noticed the very obvious love bites (literally) on Clarke’s neck and feel the same pride. As they crawl into bed, Clarke cuddles into Lexa’s side with Anya spooned behind her, the younger woman sighs.

“Thank you, my alphas, for loving me, loving our children, and knowing what we all need to be happy.”

Lexa kisses her forehead. “It is our pleasure, hodnes. We will always be here for you when you need us and for our kids, whether they need us or not.”

“Sha, though we may send them off for training if they become obnoxious teenagers.”

The other two laugh, silently agreeing with the sentiment. Much sooner than she thought she would, Clarke feels herself slipping to sleep. Lexa and Anya start to purr. Clarke stretches a little, then settles in, her purr matching theirs as they fall into their first peaceful sleep in days.


	25. Chapter 25

The next morning Lexa is leading her family down to breakfast with Roan. As soon as the roads are deemed clear of ice they will be making the drive back to Polis. Abby gets beside Clarke as they walk.

“So I take it your alphas helped settle your mind last night?” she says softly.

Clarke smiles at her mates. Kora is walking with Anya and asking about training she can do to make her legs stronger. Lexa just walks but Clarke knows she is listening to the conversation proudly. Clarke looks at her mom.

“Yeah, they did. We talked some and they really helped me get the last of my emotions dealt with so I could sleep.”

“I guess they did,” Abby says.

This time Clarke hears the amusement in her mother’s voice. She turns and studies her a moment.

“What does that mean?”

Abby leans a bit closer. “It means those doors aren’t as thick as you would think.”

Clarke is still confused. “Doors? Thickness? But what does that have to do with- -” And it hits her. “OH MY GOD!”

Her alphas turn and look to see what’s going on. They see Clarke’s red face and Abby’s smirk. They figure it out and turn to ignore everything.

“You heard us?” Clarke hisses at her mother. “Oh, no, no, no…”

Abby giggles. “You were much more agreeable last night.”

“MOM!”

“Seriously, lots of yesses. I think you even praised the Spirts a few times,” Abby continues.

“Oh my God if you don’t stop now my head is going to explode!”

“Sounds like you made a couple heads explo- -”

“MOM! Oh, no no no we are NOT talking about this,” Clarke mutters and hurries to catch up to Lexa.

Abby just giggles. Lexa, wisely, does not ask a thing. Only Kora seems confused.

“Mama, what’s wrong? Grandma, was Mama a bad girl?”

Abby grins. “A very bad girl,” she replies.

“Oh my God! Mom! Stop or you will be banned from Polis!” Clarke warns.

“Uh, only I can do that, hodnes,” Lexa points out. Clarke glares at her. “But I would be glad to cede to you for this one instance.”

Anya chuckles and turns back to Abby. “I love you more each day, Abi.”

Abby just laughs and, thankfully, lets her daughter off the hook. Kora shakes her head.

“Mama, if you’ve been bad it’s okay for your mama to punish you,” Kora points out.

“I…I did…I was…”

“We took care of it last night, strik gona,” Anya replies, worried her omega might pass out.

“Oh, okay.” Kora is completely satisfied with that answer.

Clarke still wishes she could get hit in the head and forget the entire conversation ever happened.

* * *

A couple hours later a truck waits at the bottom of the castle steps. Roan walks his guests out.

“Thank you for hosting us and letting justice be carried out swiftly,” Lexa says to him.

“I am just glad it is over. Sadly, we now understand why some of our people disappeared over the past few years. I had hoped they just moved south,” he notes sadly.

“Some probably did,” Anya points out. “Best to just believe that for all of them.”

“Sha. Otherwise my nightmares may never end,” he agrees. He drops to a knee and offers his hand to Kora. “Thank you again, young warrior, for what you did for my people. You will always be an honoured guest in my home.”

“Thank you, King Roan. I’m just glad Sven and Meggy’s mom and dad are okay, too.”

“Me, too, Kora,” he agrees with a smile.

He stands and Clarke gives him a hug. “Maybe next time we meet up it will be for the Spring Reawakening Festival, not a battle.”

“That is my hope, too. Be well, Wanheda.”

“You too, King Roan.”

She goes to say goodbye to Melodia and their twins.

Clarke starts down the steps. She looks back. “May we meet again.”

He nods. “May we meet again.”

Anya steps up to Roan.

“Well, you may not be a complete waste of space,” she starts.

He chuckles. “As compliments from you go, that’s one of your sweetest.” She grins. “Be safe, Anya.”

“You as well, Roan.”

Soon the family is in a caravan of trucks returning to Polis. Anya grins as Kora snuggles up with her new toy bear and settles in for a nap.

“Sleep well, ai yongon,” she whispers and kisses her on the cheek.

Clarke smiles, quite content to relax and enjoy the winter scenery on the drive home. In her race north, she hadn’t noticed how beautiful snow-covered trees and icy lakes could be. She can’t wait to get back to the tower and give a try at recapturing that beauty on canvas. She leans her head against the window, a slight small on her face.

Anya and Lexa are sure she has never been prettier.

* * *

When they get to where the road splits to send the trucks to Polis, TonDC and Arkadia, the caravan stops. Clarke gets out and walks over to her mother.

“Be safe, Mom. If I can help you or Arkadia in any way, please reach out.”

“I will. And I will let you know when the next election will be held,” Abby promises.

Clarke bites her lip. “Um, Mom…about that. I know you don’t want to be chancellor but- -”

Abby holds up her hand. “I know. Right now people need me. But I need a council. I won’t lead alone and get people used to one-voice rule again,” she explains.

“Ah. Good idea. Well, again, anything I can do to help, let me know,” Clarke offers again.

“I will.” She strokes Clarke’s cheek. “I am so proud of you. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too, Mom.”

The two are sharing a tight hug when a voice interrupts them.

“Grandma! Don’t forget me!”

Clarke and Abby smile. Abby squats down and accepts a big hug from Kora.

“I could never forget you, sweet girl,” Abby promises. She eases back and strokes her head. “You make me so proud every day. You are such a brave, smart little girl. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too, Grandma.”

They share another hug. Anya and Lexa say goodbye to their mother-in-law. Lexa exchanges a few words with Indra and soon the caravan is splitting into 3 groups to continue on to their respective homes. This time, Kora is sitting on Clarke’s lap so she can see all the pretty sights, too. They take turns pointing out neat things to draw and paint. As the driver turns on a road that is only identifiable by sign due to the snow, Kora looks at Anya.”

“Nomon, can I learn about maps and stuff?”

Anya looks to her and nods. “Of course, ai yongon. When?”

“Soon. See, Uncle Bellamy and Aunt Echo gave us that map to follow but only Sven knew how to read it. I need to learn so the next time I gotta do something brave I can read a map to get home.”

Lexa slowly turns and looks at her daughter. The Heda looks like she might be ill and it’s not due to the drive. Anya is equally queasy looking. Clarke giggles even though it had struck her a bit, too. She kisses the back of Kora’s head.

“How about we learn so we can find the best places to fish or draw pictures?”

Kora nods. “Okay. That’s a good reason, too.”

Lexa turns back to stare out the front window. Anya nods her head.

“Sha…sha, we will do that…okay,” she mumbles.

Clarke looks forward, catching Henry’s eye in the rearview mirror. The driver is amused, too. Clarke just shakes her head in amusement, wondering if her brave alphas are suddenly questioning if they are actually courageous enough to be the parents of a young warrior.

* * *

It is well after dark when the transports pull into Polis. Clarke, who had taken over driving to give Henry a break, drives right up to the tower. She smiles.

“Home. I can’t wait to see the babies!”

“Me, too, hodnes,” Lexa agrees. She looks to Henry. “Pass the word: no meetings tomorrow. Whoever isn’t on duty should spend time with their families.”

Henry nods. “Sounds good, Heda. You all have a good evening.”

“We will,” Anya tells him as she picks up Kora to carry her inside.

Kora is still rubbing her eyes, having dozed off an hour from Polis. As the family walks into the elevator the winders bow their heads.

“Welcome home, Heda, General, Wanheda, and our brave little warrior,” one man says.

Lexa grins. “I take you’ve heard of Kora’s adventure?”

The other man nods. “Sha, Heda. Many toasts were drunk to her bravery.”

Kora smiles shyly. “Thank you, Neil and Patrick. I got a cool medal from King Roan. I’ll have to show it to you.”

Patrick smiles. “We look forward to seeing it, strik gona. We’re glad you were able to save yourself and others.”

Kora just smiles and waves as they step onto the elevator. As it starts to rise, Anya kisses her daughter’s cheek.

“Sounds like the bravery of our daughter has spread far and wide. You are probably more famous than us now, little one.”

Kora giggles. “No, Nomon, you all are still pretty famous, too.”

Lexa and Clarke exchange and amused look as Anya just hugs their girl closer. When they get off at their floor, the guards snap to attention.

“Welcome home, Heda. Jasmine is in with the children.”

“Perfect. Dinner should be up soon.”

“Sha, Heda. And a special welcome home to you, Kora. We’re so happy you are okay.”

Kora smiles. “Thank you.”

Anya sets her down as they walk into the suite. Audrey sees them all first.

“KO’A!”

The triad watches as their three youngest run right to their older sister. Kora hugs them and kisses them, dropping to her knees as they all climb on her.

At the door of the suite, Clarke looks at her alphas. “I guess we’re chopped liver?”

“Sha, Klark, we are chopped liver,” Lexa agrees.

“Hmph. Ungrateful pups,” Anya mutters.

The three start to grin, then giggle, then laugh. At least they know their kids love each other. Eventually, Micah sees them and smiles wide, his little front teeth showing the whole time. Lexa lifts him up.

“Hello, my boy. I’ve missed you so much.” She starts to purr when he hugs her as best as his little arms can.

Clarke is equally excited when Jake runs over to her. She lifts him up and kisses him all over the face, making him giggle.

“MA! MA! MA! Lo’, Ma!”

“I love you, too, Jakey,” she tells him, her purr also starting.

Audrey walks up to them and smiles up at Anya. Anya studies her a moment, then grins. “I guess I love you, too, munchkin.”

Audrey giggles. “Lo’, Nom!”

Anya picks her up and holds her close. Audrey gives her a big kiss on the cheek. Anya smiles.

“Best kiss ever!”

Soon the parents are trading the kids around, thanking the Spirits that their plan to protect their children worked 3 out of 4 times. And since their fourth daughter is so damn brave and resourceful, nothing terrible happened. Clarke buries her face in Audrey’s neck.

“I love you so much,” she whispers.

“Lo’, Ma. I good. You ‘kay,” she says as she pats her mama’s shoulder.

Clarke smiles and kisses her cheek. “You’re right, I’ll be okay. I’m all better now. Thank you, my sweet girl.”

By the time dinner arrives, Clarke is laying on the pauna rug with the kids hearing all about what she missed. Lexa is on the couch with Anya cuddled into her as they watch their beautiful omega with their pups. Micah is sitting in Clarke’s lap, leaning back against her as one hand plays in her hair. Kora leans against her Mama as Jake and Audrey act out some sort of dance they had learned with the Outcasts.

Smokey watches for a few minutes then walks over and hops up on the couch with the alphas. He gives them a sad look. Anya strokes his ears.

“You did good, boy. You protected the other three. Good, good boy,” she praises him, as if he had apologized for losing Kora.

He licks her hand then cuddles down between her legs and the back of the couch.

Lexa smiles and reaches over to pat his head, too. This is her crazy little family. Hopefully it will be a long, long time before she has to leave them for more than a meeting downstairs. How close had she come to losing them all? It is one thing for their enemies to target her, or even her mates. But the minute Brother Thomas targeted her children, he wasn’t going to live. Be it through justice like it was, or at the end of her sword in battle, that man was going to die.

For the first time, Lexa has to admit to herself, that for her children she will rule with her heart, not her head. And she is not a damn bit sorry about that fact.

“I love you all so much. I would do anything for you,” she tells them.

Clarke looks over at her and smiles. “We know, Lexa. We all love you, too. Go show her, kids!”

Anya sits up in time for the four kids to race over and pile on their Nomtu. They laugh and giggle as they each try to hug her the tightest. Lexa kisses them all, returning the hugs as best she can. It is a wonderful mass of love.

Nope, not sorry about her heart ruling at all!


	26. Chapter 26

The next morning Anya is awakened by a small elbow to the nose. Her eyes pop open and she can’t help but grin at the mass of humanity on her bed. Micah is asleep on Clarke’s chest. Jake is on top of Lexa. Kora is asleep between Anya and Clarke. And Audrey is on top of the general. The music of the morning is the steady purrs of the mothers, the quiet but steady purr of Kora, and the intermittent purrs of the toddlers. Micah still isn’t quite there yet. Anya smiles and kisses the top of Audrey’s head. She knows two things for sure in this moment: 1) they need a bigger bed, and 2) she would have never believed she could love so many people so much.

A cold nose pokes at the arm she has on Audrey’s back. She reaches down and scratches Smokey’s head. He is laying between her legs, as always there to protect his kids. Anya smiles at him.

“I bet someone needs to go potty,” she whispers.

He wags his tail, his eyes brightening in a smile. Anya chuckles and nods her head to the side.

“Hop down, big guy, and we’ll go walkies.”

He quickly pops down. Anya sits up, cooing at Audrey as the little girl stirs. Anya uses her pillows to make a barrier then eases Kora away from Clarke enough to insert Audrey into the gap. Anya smiles as Clarke’s left arm automatically reaches down to stroke Audrey’s shoulder until the little girl is back asleep.

Anya quickly dresses and takes Smokey out for his morning constitutional. As he is racing around in the new-fallen snow, Anya sees they are not the only two in the garden this early in the morning. She walks over to the man staring into space, his eyes full of guilt.

“Hello, Julius.”

He doesn’t look at her. “Here to run me through? I won’t stop you.”

Anya sighs and sits down beside him on the bench he has dusted off. “We don’t blame you. We know you protected them as best you could. Roan’s special guard team was there, too, and lost 3 men. Our foes were determined to get our children. They didn’t get 3 of them, meaning those bastards knew better than to attack your encampment. Getting Kora was a fluke of timing and your people paid a blood debt for that kidnapping. It was a debt you did not deserve to pay, Julius.”

He wipes at his cheek. “I should have followed them. I was…was so sure they couldn’t be taken; that our defenses were strong enough. That arrogance got Kora taken. I will never forgive myself for that lack of judgement.”

Anya pats him on the leg. “As commanders we often second guess our strategies and tactics when things go wrong. It’s the mark of a wise commander.” She pauses to toss a ball for the waiting Smokey. “Sadly, I have a feeling one of Roan’s men was an infiltrator and he was the reason they knew how to breach the line. To kill 3 guards swiftly without any sort of commotion to attract attention screams of an inside job.”

Julius considers this a moment then nods. “I see what you mean. Still, I should have had my own guards near the outhouses.”

“You really hate a couple of your guards enough to station them at shitholes? You’re a cruel man, Julius,” Anya smirks.

Julius chuckles, to his surprise. “Okay, so maybe in hindsight I can see that that assignment would not have gone over well.” He is silent a moment. “Are you…you sure I could have done nothing more?”

Anya waits until he looks at her. “I know you would have given your life to protect all of our children and that nothing you did or didn’t do led to them taking Kora.”

His shoulders slump as if the weight of the world has been lifted from them. “Thank you, Anya.”

“You’re welcome, Julius.” She stands and whistles for Smokey. “Join us for breakfast?”

He smiles. “I’d like that very much.”

When they arrive at the top floor they hear the kids giggling and plenty of movement. Julius pauses. Anya pats him on the shoulder.

“I’ll let her know you’re here.” She looks to the guards. “Give them a moment.”

The guards nod and move down the hall. Anya enters and Smokey runs right to the kids. Anya glances at Lexa and nods out the door. Lexa walks over and steps into the hallway. She sees the tears and shame in her father’s eyes. She opens her arms to him,

“Thank you for protecting my children, Father. All four of them,” she stresses.

He steps into her arms. “But Kora- -”

“A fluke. You did everything right. Everything,” she tells him.

He hugs her tightly. “Thank you, Lexa.”

“No, Father, thank you for what you did for them. I was able to go into battle without worry thanks to you and your people.”

They share a firm hug, then Lexa pulls away and leads her father into the suite. Clarke, who is getting Micah into a fresh diaper smiles at her father-in-law. Kora sees him and races over.

“Grandpa! Sorry I disappeared but I got a neat medal a’cause I did real good like you and my mama’s taught me.”

He grins and gives her a hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay, young one. I heard a rumour you handled yourself well. Want to tell me more?”

Kora nods. “Sha.”

She leads him over to the couch. The twins climb up beside him as Kora not only tells him what she did, she acts it out, to everyone’s amusement. Clarke sets Micah down and he hurries over so he doesn’t miss anything. Clarke wraps Lexa up from behind.

“He’s okay?” she whispers.

Lexa nods. “Sha. I think he might have had a good talk with Anya. I will thank her later.”

Clarke nods and goes to open the doors for their breakfast delivery. She gives Kealia a big hug. The cook glances at the kids and leans in to whisper a question.

“Is it true Kora tricked a whole squad of warriors into turning themselves in by pretending to be Heda?”

Clarke bursts out laughing. “No! Not even close!” She tells what really happened. “But no, no squad of surrendering warriors.”

Kealia laughs. “Good. I was worried she was getting too many vitamins. Well, regardless of the story, I am so glad she got herself away from those freaks.”

“Me, too,” Clarke agrees.

When the cooks leave, Clarke tells her mates the story Kealia had heard. Lexa rolls her eyes.

“I had planned to wait a few days to honour her. I guess I should do it sooner before the story becomes her storming the bunker on her own,” she jokes.

“Sha. People will think us wimps compared to our child,” Anya agrees with a smile.

Soon the group is sitting down to a wonderful, laughter filled breakfast.

* * *

After breakfast Lexa pops down to her office just to check to see if there is anything pressing for her to deal with. She is surprised to see four of her Nightbloods waiting for her in the throne room.

“Aiden, Marta, Lindsey, Rocko, what can I do for you?”

Aiden, the oldest, steps forward. “We are here to resign as Nightblood novitiates, Heda. We do not deserve the honour of ever bearing the Flame.”

Lexa looks at each in turn then nods her head towards her office. “Let’s talk.”

She lets them precede her in and then shuts the door. She gestures towards the couch and armchair. They sit down, all looking at the ground, refusing to gaze at their leader. Lexa stands in front of them.

“Why would you dishonor your blood?”

“You wanted us to look after your children, Heda. We let Kora get taken,” Marta answers as the other three nod.

“I see. And when did I tell you that you protect my children or you lose your place in our Coalition?”

“You asked us to look after your kids,” Lindsey points out.

“Sha, I did. And I know had those cowards attacked to take the children you would have been a strong barrier between them and my yongons. But I didn’t expect you to be out where Roan’s people were stationed. Had you been, we’d have mourned your passing as we did those warriors that were killed. Perhaps you think one of you should have gone to the bathroom with Kora.” The two girls nod. “I see. Why didn’t you?”

“I was helping Micah eat,” Marta replies.

“I was helping rebandage the arm of a little girl,” Lindsey answers. “But my first duty should have been to Kora,” she insists.

“Your first duty is always to your people and it seems like you were attending someone that needed help. Is there a reason you were doing it, not a healer?” Lexa asks.

“The healer had a cold. I told them to go on to bed to rest.”

“Then you did what I would have done in the same situation, Lindsey.” Lexa starts to pace. “Second guessing is deadly to a leader. Yes, we wear our losses on our souls and we never forget them. But we don’t use one loss as a reason to give up. I would have thought I taught the four of you better.”

“But this was your daughter, Heda! It’s…it’s different!” Rocko protests.

“No, it is not. I thank you for your dedication to me and my child. And I know you would show the same care and devotion to protecting other children as you did for mine. Removing yourself from consideration to be our future Heda does not help me or our Coalition. Learning from this, sitting down and really thinking about what you did right and wrong is the start.” She sits down on the coffee table. “So, let’s talk.”

She spends an hour with them, helping them to understand what their duties were and how their actions were positive, not negative. By the time they are done, the four teens look more relaxed. They had been tasked with keeping check on the younger Nightbloods and the Heda’s children. Lexa had not asked them to put themselves in danger as a scout or sentry. They had done what she wanted and expected them to do.

“I’m proud of the four of you for what you did, for wanting to take responsibility for more than you were asked to, and for what you did for your classmates. Go now and rest. Lessons start back tomorrow.”

They all stand.

“Thank you, Heda,” each child says.

Lexa watches them leave, pride in her heart for these four future leaders. “Thank the Spirits three won’t have to die that one might lead,” she whispers, before going to her desk to see what awaits her the next day.

* * *

Outside the tower, a young man paces back and forth until he finally sees a guard he knows.

“PRAXIS!”

Praxis turns and smiles. “Hey, Nathan. How you doing?”

“I’m good but I didn’t know the guards on duty and I was hoping to go see Kora,” the boy explains.

Praxis grins and nods. “Come along.” They walk inside and Praxis sees the two new winders. “Men, this is Nathan. He is young Kora’s best friend and an honoured guest of the tower. If Kora is upstairs, he is allowed to go up to see her.”

The men nod. “Sha, sir.”

Praxis pats Nathan on the shoulder. “Hop on!”

“Thanks, Praxis!” Nathan hollers as he jumps in the elevator.

When it arrives on the Heda’s floor, Nathan runs out and goes right to the suite doors.

“Hey, Gunther. Hey, Maxie.”

“Hello, Nathan. I thought we’d see you sooner,” Maxie notes.

“The new winders didn’t know me so they wouldn’t let me up. Praxis introduced me so it should be okay now,” he explains with a smile.

Gunther taps on the door of the suite. “Good. We’re only knocking in case the twins or Micah are sleeping.”

“I understand.”

The door opens and Clarke smiles. “Hey! Come on in!”

Nathan gives Clarke a hug then hurries past her. “Kora!”

Kora jumps up from the rug and races to her best friend. “Hi! I had the coolest adventure!”

“I heard! Did you really chase away a dragon that was trying to get the Raiders?”

Kora frowns. “What? No! Who told you that?”

“I heard someone tell my Mom about it.”

Clarke and Anya exchange an amused look as Kora tells her friend what really happen. Nathan frowns at the end.

“So…no dragon?”

“Nope.”

“Oh. Well, it was still really cool. I’m glad you and those two kids were okay.”

“So what did I miss in school?”

The two older kids go off to Clarke’s art desk to talk about school. Nathan has a bag with him so he can help Kora catch up on some subjects. Anya wraps her omega up from behind.

“Dragon?”

Clarke laughs. “I can only imagine some of the other stories. Any stories about you that I should know?”

Anya thinks a moment, then grins. “There was this one time that it got around I had taken out a whole platoon of Azgeda warriors single-handedly.”

“Oh? And did you use a dragon while doing this great feat?”

“Nope, just my brains and braun,” Anya replies smugly.

Clarke turns her head and stares at her a second. “You really  _did_   stop a whole platoon single-handedly, didn’t you?”

Anya chuckles and kisses her cheek. “As far as anyone knows, yes…yes, I did. Who knew slipping down that one slope to get a better look would start an avalanche?”

Clarke laughs and rolls her eyes. She gives Anya a kiss. “I love you even if your military prowess is based on accidents, not power over mystical creatures like our daughter.”

Anya smiles and keeps holding on as Clarke goes back to the drawing she is working on depicting Kora marching proudly through the war camp, two youngsters following along behind the brave, young warrior.

* * *

That night the family is enjoying dinner together and discussing plans for the next day. Time for Kora to go back to school and her mothers to get back to work. There were new Raiders to test, new Guards to hire, and even a few regular workers to make sure get replaced since their predecessors were infiltrators.

But for this evening, it was just family. There is laughter around the table, especially when Micah tries something new and decides he doesn’t like it…so he coughs and spits it all over Lexa. She kisses his head.

“You’re lucky you’re my son or I’d have you on stable duty for that, little man,” she tells him. He just smiles at her.

That night when the younger three are already asleep and Kora is getting ready for bed she is going unusually slow. Anya nudges her to get her to finish washing her face.

“What’s wrong, ai yongon?”

Kora sets her washcloth down. “I didn’t think about it too much before a’cause there was so much going on. Now I can’t stop wondering what…what might have happened if the bad guys had taken Audrey or Jakey or Micah.” Her eyes well with tears but she won’t look at Anya. “And I kinda wonder what they were gonna do to me,” she finishes softly.

“Come here, Kora.” Anya lifts her up and sits down on the edge of the tub. “Those people would have used or your siblings to get your nomtu to surrender. They would have threatened you but we would have never let them hurt you. Ai swega yu. Remember how you found Uncle Bellamy and Aunt Echo when you escaped?” Kora nods. “They were planning to sneak in to rescue you. Or, had the bad guys brought you outside to show you off, they would have rescued you then. I swear to you, my child, they may have threatened to hurt you but  _no one_   would have let that happen. From Nomtu all the way down to the newest warrior in the Coalition, they would have been fighting to get to you before you were hurt. Do not worry about that any longer, okay?”

“Okay,” Kora says weakly. She puts her head on Anya’s shoulder. “Nomon? Can I sleep with you again tonight?”

Anya kisses her and hugs her closer. “Of course, Kora. Of course.”

Anya stands and walks out to the main room. Lexa and Clarke say nothing as the little girl is tucked into their bed. Clarke walks over to the bookshelf and grabs Kora’s favorite book of fairy tales. She quickly changes into pajamas and slides into the bed. Kora cuddles up to her as Clarke starts to read in hopes of settling the little girl’s mind. Before the frog turns into a prince, Kora’s other two mothers are in the bed, too, and the little one is dozing off.

“You not leave me, right, Mama?”

“No, Kora, none of us will leave you,” she promises.

Kora snuggles closer, a little smile on her face. And by the time the princess lives happily ever after, the little one is asleep. Clarke kisses her on the head.

“Sleep well, ai yongon. Your mothers have you safe in their arms.”

Lexa and Anya dim the lamps and the family goes to sleep. Tomorrow they start back to work running the Coalition but for now they are just three mothers making sure their oldest child staves off nightmares for at least one more night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so ends this installment. Have to admit, at one time I was planning to let Brother Thomas escape. This was before I watched that Jonestown documentary. Ended up going back and re-writing the beginning to make him a cult leader using religion as an excuse to murder and bend people to his will. In hearing Jim Jones encouraging people to kill themselves and children I was astounded only 1 lady stood up to question him, especially about killing the children. I can't help but wonder what might have been if more people had seen him for what he really was and saved lives instead of taken them. So, in having the cult turn against Brother Thomas, I wrote what I wished would have happened in Guyana so many years ago. 
> 
> So, there you have the inspiration behind the fruitcake in the bunker and why I made sure they executed him and his diehards while giving others the chance to save themselves. See y'all in number 7!


End file.
